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GIFT  OF 
SEELEY  W.  MUDD 

and 

GEORGE  I.  COCHRAN    MEYER  ELSASSER 
DR.  JOHN  R.  HAYNES    WILLIAM  L.  HONNOLD 
JAM  ES  R.  MARTIN         MRS.  JOSEPH  F.  SARTORI 

to  tin 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
SOUTHERN  BRANCH 


JOHN  FISKE 


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MEMORIALS 


WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND 

Director  of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory  1840—1859 


AND    OF     HIS    SON 


GEORGE  PHILLIPS  BOND 

Director  of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory  1859—1865 


EDWARD   S.   HOLDEN 

Director  of  the  Lick  Observatory 


SAN  FRANCISCO 
C.    A.   MURDOCK  &  CO. 

NEW  YORK  CITY 

LEMCK.E    &    BUECHNER 

1897 

82683 


H? 


INTRODUCTORY    NOTE 

TV /I  Y  earliest  recollections  are  connected  with  visits 
A*-*-  to  the  Harvard  College  Observatory,  where 
Professor  GEORGE  BOND  (who  had  married  my  cousin) 
was  assistant  astronomer,  and  subsequently  Director. 
As  a  lad  I  had  a  boundless  admiration  for  the  science 
to  which  he  gave  his  life,  as  well  as  a  deep  gratitude 
for  the  unfailing  kindness  with  which  he  and  his 
father  received  my  young  friends  and  myself  on 
our  rather  frequent  pilgrimages  to  the  observatory, 
and  for  the  glimpses  which  they  gave  us  of  inspiring 
things.  As  years  went  on,  I  myself  became  a  student 

O}       of  his  chosen  science,  and  went  over  the  ground  — 
f~i 

theoretical    or   practical  —  which    he    had    trod,    and 

j^       learned  to  admire  his  remarkable  qualities  of  mind, 

>rl       and  to  appreciate  his  very  considerable  and  original 

contributions   to   astronomy.     It   has   also   been   my 

fortune,  as  an  observer,  to  repeat  some  parts  of  his 

•      work,  and  to  obtain,  in  this  way,  an  even  more  accurate 

judgment  of  his  persistent  thoroughness. 

No  adequate  biography  of  either  of  the  BONDS  has 
been  written,  and  the  lack  is  especially  noticeable  in 
the  case  of  the  son.  A  number  of  documents  that 
would  serve  to  illustrate  their  lives  are  not  now  to 


IV 

be  found;  all  that  are  available  have  been  collected 
and  copied  by  his  daughters.  At  their  request,  I  have 
undertaken  to  put  these  materials  into  an  orderly  form. 
The  difficulties  of  the  task  have  not  been  small.  No 
one  who  was  not  at  the  same  time  an  intimate  and  a 
contemporary  could  overcome  them  entirely. 

The  present  volume  will  have  a  value  as  a  contri- 
bution towards  the  early  history  of  astronomy  in 
America.  The  development  of  the  science  has  been 
so  amazing  that  we  forget  that  the  Harvard  College 
Observatory  was  founded  as  late  as  1840;  that  it  was 
one  of  the  very  first  of  college  observatories;  and  that 
its  first  Directors  —  the  BONDS,  father  and  son  —  had 
it  in  charge  until  1865,  only  a  generation  ago.  Nearly 
every  American  observatory  has  been  founded  since 
1840.  American  science  is  scarcely  more  than  half  a 
century  old.  The  day  will  soon  come  —  it  is  now 
here  —  when  we  shall  look  back  with  wonder  and 
gratitude  to  ask  who  were  the  men  who  laid  the  wide 
and  deep  foundations  which  already  maintain  so  noble 
an  edifice. 

In  the  little  group  of  able  men  who  were  the  fathers 
and  founders  of  American  astronomy,  the  BONDS  have 
their  secure  place.  It  is  the  object  of  this  volume  to 
set  forth  their  lives  and  work,  and  to  point  out  their 
many  and  varied  services  to  their  country  and  to 
science.  E.  S.  H. 

THE  LICK  OBSERVATORY, 

January,  1897. 


A  CKNO  WLEDGMENTS 

Those  who  have  been  concerned  with  the 
preparation  of  this  volume  beg  to  return  their 
grateful  thanks  to  the  many  friends  who  have 
aided,  in  one  way  or  another,  in  the  collection 
of  materials. 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Introductory  Note, iii 

I.    WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND  — 1789-1859 1 

II.    GEORGE  PHILLIPS  BOND  — 1825-1865, 48 

III.  Extracts  from  the  Diaries  of  GEORGE  BOND  During 

Two  Visits  to  Europe  — 1851  and  1863, 87 

IV.  Selections  from  the  Correspondence  of  GEORGE  BOND 

—  1852-1865, 150 

V.    The  Scientific  Work  of  WILLIAM  and  GEORGE  BOND,  216 

Appendix  —  List  of  the  Scientific  Writings  of  WILLIAM 
CRANCH  BOND  and  of  GEORGE  PHILLIPS  BOND 
(compiled  by  Mrs.  RICHARD  F.  BOND),  ....  276 

Index  of  Proper  Names, 292 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


The  Great  Comet  of  1858 — from  a  drawing  by  GEORGE 

BOND, Frontispiece 

(Reproduced,  by  permission  of  Professor  EDWARD  C.  PICKERING, 
from  Volume  III  of  the  Annals  of  the  Harvard  College  Observ- 
atory) 

Portrait  of  Professor  WILLIAM  CKANCH  BOND,  to  face  page      1 

(Reproduced  from  a  painting  by  Mr.  C.  G.  THOMPSON  (1849),  now 

in  the  possession  of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory) 

Armorial  Bearings  of  BOND, to  face  page    10 

The  Dana  House— the  first  observatory  of  Harvard  Col- 
lege,      to  face  page    17 

(By  the  kindness  of  the  editor  of  the  Popular  Science  Monthly) 

The  Harvard  College  Observatory  in  1847,  .    .  to  face  page    22 
(From  the  Annals  of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory,  1850) 

The  15-inch  Telescope  and  the  Observer's  Chair,  to  face  page    26 
(Reduced  by  photography  from  Figure  4,  Annals  of  the  Har- 
vard College  Observatory,  Volume  I) 

The  Great  Nebula  of  Orion  —  from  a  drawing  by  GEORGE 

BOND, to  face  page    48 

(Reproduced,  by  permission  of  Professor  EDWARD  C.  PICKERING, 
from  Volume  V  of  the  Annals  of  the  Harvard  College  Ob- 
servatory) 

The  Chronograph  invented  by  the  BONDS  — The  Chrono- 

graphic  Record, to  face  page  237 

(From  the  Annals  of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory,  Volume  I) 

Two  Views  of  the  Planet  Saturn, to  face  page  251 

(From  the  Annals  of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory,  Volume  II) 


WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND. 
178»-1859. 


CHAPTER   I 

WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND      1789-1859 

ytMONG  the  papers  left  by  WILLIAM  CRANCH 
JTjL  BOND  is  a  memorandum  relating  to  the 
original  home  of  the  family  in  Cornwall  and 
to  their  migration  to  America.  The  following 
paragraphs  are  extracted  from  Mr.  BOND'S  manu- 
script : — 

"My  father,  WILLIAM  BOND,"*  he  says,  "in  the 
year  1780  found  that  he  was  nearly  related,  if  not 
heir-at-law,  to  the  WILLIAM  BOND  who  held  the 
estate  of  Brendon,  in  the  parish  of  St.  Dominic, 
County  of  Cornwall,  England,  A.  D.  1711.f  From 
this  stock  branch  off  the  BONDS  of  St.  Austell, 
Cornwall.  My  father  visited  Brendon  in  1780,  and 
saw  the  dates  of  entry  of  all  the  possessors  of  that 
estate,  from  the  time  of  WILLIAM  the  Conqueror 
down  to  the  date  of  his  visit,  beginning  with 
the  inscription  on  an  oaken  tablet  in  the  hall — 
'WILLIAM  BOND  came  to  Brendon,  A.  D.  1066.'  This 
was  followed  by  a  succession  of  WILLIAM  BONDS, 
without  any  other  name  intervening,  down  to  the 
year  1780.  In  1833  I  went  there  with  Brother  HUGH 
CURTIS.  It  was  then  held  by  a  WILLIAM  BOND, 


*Born  in  Plymouth  in  1754. 

fThis  estate  has  been  held  by  a  WILLIAM  BOND  for  fully 
eight  centuries. 


2  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

whose  brother  JOHN  confirmed  to  me  orally  the 
foregoing  account.  I  was  received  very  kindly,  and 
saw  the  date  1066  on  or  over  a  stone  arch.  It  is  a 
very  pleasant  place,  situated  in  a  rich  agricultural 
district.  .  .  .  Within  the  church  were  several 
monuments;  in  one  corner  were  two  marble  tombs 
of  knights;  the  effigies,  carved  in  marble  and  cross- 
legged,  indicating  thereby  that  the  warriors  had  been 
to  the  Holy  Land.  My  grandfather's  brother,  JOHN 
BOND,  owned  two  estates,  Trevarner  and  Trevanion, 
near  the  town  of  St.  Austell,  and  he  there  resides. 

"  My  great-grandfather  was  the  first  of  the  family 
who  went  to  live  in  Plymouth  from  Cornwall.  My 
great-grandfather  died  there  at  a  very  advanced 
age.  My  grandfather,  THOS.  BOND,  was  established 
in  Plymouth  as  a  chemist  [and  surgeon]  in  1750. 
He  was  much  respected  by  his  fellow-townsmen  and 
was  eminent  in  his  profession.  Many  anecdotes 
illustrative  of  his  grave,  resolute  character  have 
been  handed  down  to  us. 

"THOMAS  BOND  married  THOMAZINE  PHILLIPS. 
He  died  in  Plymouth  in  1782.  His  widow  died  in 
1803.  Of  his  four  children  (sons),  only  one,  WIL- 
LIAM, left  issue. 

"After  a  previous  visit  to  this  country  in  1784, 
my  father  [WILLIAM,  son  of  THOMAS]  settled  in 
Falmouth,  Casco  Bay  [now  Portland],  in  May,  1786, 
bringing  with  him  his  wife  and  two  children, 
THOMAZINE  and  THOMAS.  The  brig  John  in  which 
they  came  had  been  chartered  by  my  father  for 
that  and  commercial  purposes.  He  was  made  a  free 
citizen  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  by 
special  act  of  the  General  Court,  passed  November 
23,  1785." 

The  wife  of  WILLIAM  BOND  was  HANNAH  CRANCH. 

The  home  of  the  CRANCH  family  was  in  and 

around  Kingsbridge,  Devonshire.     They  were  all 


William  Cranch  Bond  3 

much  given  to  books,  with  a  marked  artistic  bent. 
Speaking  of  the  family,  one  writer  says:  "  The  race 
of  CKANCH  all  had  literary,  artistic,  and  poetic  ten- 
dencies. There  were  always  authors,  poets,  music- 
ians, and  travelers  in  the  family." 

JOHN  CRANCH,  born  in  1744,  was  an  artist. 
Among  other  things,  he  painted  a  picture  of  the 
death  of  CHATTERTON.  He  was  also  a  lawyer  and 
an  author.  He  lived  in  England,  but  was  made  a 
Fellow  of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts  and 
Sciences  of  Boston. 

The  children  of  WILLIAM  BOND  and  HANNAH 
CRANCH  were:  — 

THOMAZINE    ELIZABETH    FIELDER; 

THOMAS,  died  in  infancy ; 

WILLIAM,  died  in  infancy; 

THOMAS,  came  to  America  an  infant; 

HANNAH  CRANCH,  born  in  America; 

WILLIAM  CRANCH,  born  in  America. 

RICHARD  CRANCH,  the  uncle  of  Mrs.  WILLIAM 
BOND,  settled  in  Massachusetts  in  1746,  and  became 
Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas.  He  was  a 
highly  respected  and  influential  citizen  of  the 
Colony.  Harvard  College  conferred  upon  him  the 
degree  of  M.  A.  in  1780. 

From  a  sister  of  RICHARD  CRANCH  are  descended 
the  PEABODYS,  ELIZABETH,  MARY  (Mrs.  HORACE 


4  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

MANN),  SOPHIA  (wife  of  NATHANIEL  HAWTHORNE). 
Urged  by  the  relatives  of  his  wife,  WILLIAM 
BOND  determined  to  emigrate  to  America.  He 
arrived  in  Boston  in  May  of  1786,  and  settled  in 
Falmouth  (now  Portland),  Maine,  where  he  engaged 
in  shipping  lumber  to  Bristol,  England;  and  he 
also  established  a  branch  station  on  Frenchman's 
Bay.  This  venture  proved  unsuccessful,  and  in 
1790  he  and  his  wife  and  children  returned  to 
Boston,  where  he  began  business  as  a  silversmith 
and  watch  and  clockmaker,  trades  he  had  learned 
in  London  in  his  youth.  In  1793  he  established 
the  firm  still  called  by  his  name,  and  began  to 
import  clocks  and  watches  from  England.  It  took 
time  to  build  up  a  business,  and  his  family  had  a 
long,  hard  struggle  with  poverty.  His  wife,  HANNAH 
CRANCH,  was  a  woman  of  great  force  of  will,  a 
stern  sense  of  justice  and  integrity,  and  marked 
vigor  of  intellect;  an  uncompromising  Puritan 
housewife,  strict  in  the  performance  of  every  duty, 
and  equally  strict  in  exacting  of  others  their  dues. 
Her  stern  standard  of  domestic  discipline  is  still 
remembered  by  the  oldest  surviving  granddaugh- 
ter. In  her  presence  the  children  of  the  family 
never  spoke  except  in  subdued  whispers;  and  when 
she  entered  a  room  all  rose  and  remained  standing 
until  she  was  seated.  These  were  the  manners  of 
the  age,  but  she  is  said  to  have  been  peculiarly 


William  Cranch  Bond  5 

strict  in  enforcing  them,  and  even  her  grown  chil- 
dren stood  in  awe  of  her. 

WILLIAM  BOND  was  a  true  Cornishman — fiery, 
impulsive,  generous,  affectionate  and  indulgent  to 
his  children,  but  subject  to  violent  outbursts  of 
passion.  He  had  also  a  true  Cornishman's  taste 
for  mining,  and  lost  considerable  sums  of  money 
in  mining  ventures  in  Maine  and  at  Gay  Head, 
Massachusetts.  He  and  his  wife  never  ceased  to 
regret  their  immigration  to  America.  A  loyal  love 
of  England  was  characteristic  of  the  family  for 
many  years.  In  household  customs,  manners,  and 
traditions,  they  were  thoroughly  English  down  to 
very  recent  days. 

WILLIAM  BOND  lived  to  a  great  age,  dying  at 
his  son's  house  in  Cambridge,  in  1848,  in  his 
ninety-fifth  year.  He  is  still  remembered  as  a 
quaint  figure,  wearing  his  hair  in  a  queue  in  the 
fashion  of  a  bygone  time,  with  rosy  cheeks  and 
bright,  sharp  eyes;  brisk  and  vehement,  even  after 
his  mind  began  to  fail.  In  his  extreme  age  he 
became  a  Roman  Catholic,  through  the  influence 
of  his  personal  friend,  Bishop  CHEVERUS.  At  his 
death  he  left  two  daughters  and  two  sons — THOMAS 
and  WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND. 

WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND  was  born  in  Portland, 
Maine,  September  9, 1789.  During  a  visit  to  England 


6  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

t 

(July  18,  1819)  he  married  for  his  first  wife  his 
cousin,  SELINA  CRANCH,  in  Kingsbridge,  Devonshire. 
She  was  the  mother  of  his  six  children — WILLIAM 
CRANCH  BOND  Jr.,  JOSEPH  CRANCH,  GEORGE  PHILLIPS, 
RICHARD  FIFIELD,  ELIZABETH  LIDSTONE,  SELINA 
CRANCH — and  died  in  1831.  She  is  remembered 
as  a  beautiful  woman,  with  soft  and  gentle  voice 
and  manners.  After  her  death  BOND  married  her 
elder  sister,  MARY  ROOPE  CRANCH,  who  left  no  chil- 
dren. His  second  wife  was  a  woman  of  strong, 
determined  character,  capable,  and  very  ambitious. 
The  household  expenses  wrere  willingly  cut  down  to 
save  the  money  needed  for  the  purchase  of  costly 
books  and  instruments.  She  was  ready  to  make 
any  personal  sacrifice  for  the  science  to  which  her 
husband  was  devoted. 

BOND  loved  science  for  itself,  and  cultivated  it 
with  a  kind  of  passion,  never  thinking,  in  his 
early  days,  of  even  communicating  his  results. 
He  had  been  observing  the  great  comet  of  1811 
for  months  before  his  observations  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  Professor  FARRAR  of  Harvard  and 
Dr.  NATHANIEL  BOWDITCH  of  Boston. 

It  was  necessary  for  young  BOND  to  do  his  part 
towards  supporting  the  family.  He  left  the  public 
school  at  an  early  age  and  soon  became  an 
admirable  workman.  His  attention  was  turned 
to  astronomy  by  the  remarkable  total  solar  eclipse 


William  Cranch  Bond  7 

of  1806,  when  the  sun  was  hidden  for  no  less  than 
five  minutes.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  (1804)  he  had 
constructed  a  satisfactory  shop  chronometer,  and 
about  the  same  time  a  quadrant,  which  was  also 
a  very  serviceable  instrument.  His  first  sea-going 
chronometer  was  made  in  1812,  and  the  severe  test 
of  a  voyage  to  India  and  return  proved  it  to  be 
an  excellent  timekeeper.  These  early  days  are 
recalled  by  a  paragraph  from  a  letter  written  after 
his  death  by  his  elder  brother,  THOMAS  BOND,  to 
his  son. 


EXTRACT   FROM   A    LETTER   OF   THOMAS   BOND  TO 
GEORGE  BOND. 

Feb.  21,  1859. 

.  .  .  The  scenes  of  our  youth  come  back 
to  my  remembrance  like  a  pleasant  dream.  Your 
dear  father  and  I  were  for  years  almost  inseparable 
friends  and  companions.  .  .  .  He  was  the  mildest 
and  best-tempered  boy  I  ever  knew,  and  his  very 
remarkable  mechanical  genius  showed  itself  very 
early.  He  was  the  best  hand  for  the  manufacture 
of  box  traps,  snares  for  partridges,  quails,  and  rab- 
bits when  not  more  than  twelve  years  old.  He  was 
not  very  strong  physically,  but  constant  exercise 
established  his  health.  He  had  few  advantages  of 
education ;  but  a  powerful  mind  and  retentive  mem- 
ory enabled  him  to  press  forward.  We  were  poor, 
and  he  had  to  help  in  the  support  of  the  family, 
but  his  courage  and  perseverance  carried  him 
through  all.  "We  ne'er  shall  look  upon  his  like 
again." 

In  an  old  French  book  he  found  the  description 


8  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

of  the  chronometer  used  by  the  celebrated  naviga- 
tor, LA  PEROUSE,  and  determined  to  try  his  skill 
in  making  one  on  the  same  plan,  to  be  kept  in 
motion  by  weights  instead  of  springs.  Xotwithstand- 
ing  his  constant  attention  in  the  shop,  he  carried 
out  his  plan,  and  it  still  remains  as  a  memento  of 
his  skill  and  patience  when  but  fifteen  years  old. 

I  suppose  it  would  incline  the  Astronomer  Royal 
to  laugh,  could  he  see  the  first  transit  instrument 
used  by  us  at  Dorchester, — a  strip  of  brass  nailed 
to  the  east  end  of  the  Champney  house,  with  a  hole 
in  it  to  see  a  fixed  star  and  note  its  transit, — this 
in  1813.  When  we  moved  into  the  Hawes  house, 
he  procured  a  good  granite  block.  We  dug  a  deep 
hole,  and  placed  it  at  the  west  end  of  the  house, 
and  got  Mr.  ALGER  to  cast  a  stand  for  the  transit 
instrument, —  a  small  one, —  which  I  think  belonged 
to  Harvard  College.  From  this  time  he  began  to 
live  among  the  stars,  and  now  I  trust  he  wears  the 
starry  crown.  He  was  faithful  here  below,  my  best 
friend  on  earth,  and  I  trust  to  meet  him  again 
before  long. 

Yours  ever,  THOMAS  BOND. 

After  his  father's  death,  GEORGE  BOXD  wrote  a 
long  memorandum  to  the  Hon.  EDWARD  EVERETT 
(sometime  President  of  Harvard  University),  re- 
hearsing the  circumstances  of  his  career.  This 
letter  is  printed  in  what  immediately  follows,  with 
a  few  omissions,  and  with  the  addition  of  a  few 
notes  of  explanation. 


William  Cranch  Bond  9 

MEMORANDA  RELATING  TO  THE  LIFE  AND  SCIEN- 
TIFIC LABORS  OF  WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND, 
LATE  DIRECTOR  OF  THE  OBSERVATORY  OF 
HARVARD  COLLEGE,  COMMUNICATED  TO  HON. 
EDWARD  EVERETT,  MARCH,  1859,  BY  GEORGE 
PHILLIPS  BOND. 

Several  years  since,  at  the  suggestion  of  some  of 
the  members  of  his  family,  my  father  collected 
various  memoranda,  relating  chiefly  to  the  early 
part  of  his  life,  and  subsequently  combined  them 
in  an  autobiographical  sketch. 

Knowing  that  this  manuscript  had  been  pre- 
pared by  his  own  hand,  and  that  it  was  not  long 
since  in  his  possession,  we  have  been  greatly  disap- 
pointed at  not  finding  it  among  his  papers,  although 
no  pains  have  been  spared  in  searching  for  it.  Its 
loss  is  the  more  to  be  regretted,  because  it  had  been 
relied  on  as  an  authentic  source  of  information  in 
regard  to  many  incidents,  which  it  will  now  be 
impossible  to  recover,  as  by  trusting  to  it  too  confi- 
dently we  came  to  neglect  other  memoranda.  This 
circumstance  has  occasioned  delay  and  trouble  in 
collecting  even  the  imperfect  information  given 
below.  I  have  dwelt  somewhat  minutely  on  the 
incidents  of  my  father's  early  life,  for  it  was  then, 
in  a  stern  conflict  with  obstacles  which  few  would 
have  had  the  resolution  to  meet,  that  he  displayed 
the  earnestness  and  strength  of  his  native  predilec- 
tions for  astronomy.  .  .  . 

My  grandfather  [WILLIAM  BOND],  a  native  of 
Plymouth,  England,  claimed  to  be  the  representa- 
tive of  an  ancient  family  residing  at  Brandon  Manor, 
St.  Dominick,  Cornwall.  On  a  visit  to  the  place  in 
1833,  his  son  found  in  the  old  manor-house,  and  in 
the  monuments  of  the  parish  church,  sufficient  con- 
firmation of  the  traditionary  claim.  The  estate 
had  unquestionably  been  held  by  a  WILLIAM  BOND 


10  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

from  a  remote  period.  Among  the  monuments  in 
the  church  were  two  tombs  of  Crusaders,  traditional 
WILLIAM  BONDS,  Knights  of  Brendon.  The  tenure 
of  the  estate  has  been  always  under  the  condition, 
that  it  should  be  held  by  one  of  that  [Christian 
and  sur-]  name,  and  my  grandfather  at  one  time 
took  steps  to  obtain  possession,  failing,  it  would 
seem,  only  from  his  own  neglect  to  press  the  claim. 
The  crest  and  motto  of  the  family  were  sufficiently 
aspiring  and  aptly  astronomical.  A  demi-Pegasus 
(one  of  the  constellations)  on  a  field  of  golden  stars,* 
with  the  motto,  "  Non  sufficit  Orbis."^ 

The  discouraging  circumstances  of  my  father's 
early  life  are  alluded  to  in  my  letter  to  Mr.  CURTIS. 
I  have  always  understood  that  his  situation  up  to 
manhood,  and  even  for  years  after,  was  one  of  pecu- 
liar trial  and  hardship.  It  was  at  this  period  of 
life,  usually  so  full  of  animation  and  buoyancy,  that 
he  speaks  of  himself  as  "nearly  heartbroken  and 
in  despair  of  ever  being  able  to  accomplish  any- 
thing." The  expression  bespeaks  the  sensitiveness 
of  his  disposition,  and  a  dejection  unnatural  in  one 
so  young.  His  mother,  HANNAH  CRANCH,  as  was 
fit,  was  ever  the  confidante  of  his  plans,  and  the 
consoler  of  his  distress.  She  was  a  woman  of  a  well- 
cultivated  mind  and  high  excellence  of  character; 
one  who  could  sympathize  in  his  high  aspirations, 
though  she  could  not  relieve  the  pressure  of  ad- 
versity. 

It  would  not  be  proper  to  enter  into  the  details 
of  those  hardships  with  whicli  he  was  at  this  time 
encompassed.  He  rarely  alluded  to  them,  except  in 
general  terms.  One  of  the  companions  of  his  youth 
has  said  emphatically,  "  They  talk  of  early  disad- 
vantages; he  went  over  red-hot  ploughshares,"  and  all 
who  then  knew  him  intimately  use  the  strongest 

*  Not  on  a  field,  but  semle  d'ttoiles  iVor. 

fThe  arms  are:  Argent,  on  a  chevron  sable,  three  besants. 


William  Cranch  Bond  11 

expressions  with  reference  to  the  stern  severity  of 
his  lot.  In  his  boyhood  a  modest  reserve  and  a 
quick  sensitiveness  were  as  prominent  as  in  later 
life;  yet  there  was  a  resolute  spirit  beneath  this 
veil,  or  he  would  never  have  risen  superior  to  frown- 
ing fortune.  This  simplicity  of  manner  and  shrink- 
ing from  ostentatious  display  did  not  wholly  con- 
ceal from  his  playmates  a  consciousness  of  superior 
capacity;  he  could  be  silenced  easily,  but  rarely 
diverted  from  his  purpose.  A  design  once  formed 
in  his  mind  seemed  to  become  a  part  of  his  very 
being,  and  was  pursued  with  an  unfaltering  aim. 
To  this  invincible  perseverance  he  owed  everything. 
It  is  not  for  us  to  condemn  his  persistence,  some- 
times beyond  the  bounds  of  reason,  in  his  original 
convictions.  Whatever  he  accomplished  was  done 
in  a  quiet,  unobtrusive  way;  but  if  opposed,  a  deter- 
mined, persevering  energy  was  manifested,  equal 
to  any  emergency,  and  seldom  to  be  disappointed 
of  its  end.  These  are  said  to  have  been  traits  of 
his  boyhood  —  they  certainly  characterized  his  after 
life.  He  early  evinced  the  ingenuity  and  fertility 
in  mechanical  contrivances  for  which  he  was  subse- 
quently distinguished.  At  the  age  often  [1799]  he 
made  a  wooden  clock,  and  became  famous  among 
his  playfellows  for  his  skill  in  the  manufacture  of 
traps,  toys,  etc.,  even  extending  his  ambitious  efforts 
to  an  imitation  of  philosophical  apparatus,  with 
which,  when  a  mere  boy,  he  illustrated  to  his  com- 
panions the  experiments  of  a  public  lecturer  in  Bos- 
ton. [A  ship's  chronometer  made  by  him  at  the 
age  of  twenty-three  years]  is  now  in  our  possession, 
and  bears  the  date  1812.  The  construction  of  such 
an  instrument  requires  a  high  degree  of  skill, 
which  he  must  have  attained  with  scarcely  any  aid 
from  instruction,  as  the  original  profession  of  his 
father,  to  whom  he  was  apprenticed,  was  that  of  a 
silversmith.  There  could  have  been  no  facilities  at 


12  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

that  time  in  the  country  for  acquiring  knowledge 
of  the  art.  Some  hints  on  the  subject  he  found  in 
an  old  French  book,  containing  a  description  of  a 
timekeeper  used  by  the  celebrated  navigator  LA 
PEROUSE.  He  was  ambitious  that  it  should  be  of 
home  manufacture,  and  for  that  reason  substituted 
a  weight  for  the  maintaining  power,  in  room  of  the 
mainspring  commonly  used.  The  latter  he  could 
not  make,  and  would  not  procure  from  Europe.  I 
have  before  me  a  journal  of  the  performance  of 
this  chronometer  on  a  voyage  from  Boston  to 
Sumatra,  in  the  ship  Cyrus,  commanded  by  Captain 
THOS.  B.  CURTISS.  It  indicated  the  longitude  of  the 
ship  as  accurately  as  the  majority  of  the  chronome- 
ters now  made  would  have  done. 

His  first  astronomical  apparatus  was  a  sundial 
and  pieces  of  string  held  at  arm's  length,  with 
which  he  plotted  the  stars  and  comets,  after  the 
fashion  of  FERGUSON.  These  were  succeeded  by 
other  contrivances  better  adapted  to  the  purpose. 
It  is  a  fact  not  without  interest  that  for  many 
years  preceding  the  war  of  1812,  the  period  of  our 
greatest  commercial  prosperity,  the  "rates"  and 
"errors"  of  nearly  all  the  chronometers  employed 
in  the  foreign  trade  of  Boston  were  derived  from 
instruments  made  by  his  hand. 

The  history  of  his  [independent]  discovery  of 
the  comet  of  1811*  shows  him  at  that  time  as  an 
attentive  observer  of  the  heavens.  He  had  pre- 
viously, for  want  of  a  telescope,  "  been  in  the  prac- 
tice of  going  to  a  deep  well,  and,  shading  his  eyes 
from  stray  light,  would  direct  his  eyes  toward  the 
bottom  for  some  minutes,"  and  with  this  prepara- 
tion faint  objects  among  the  stars  were  more  easily 
distinguished.  Instead  of  attempting  to  acquire 
reputation  from  the  discovery,  he  was  so  careless 

*It  was  discovered  in  Europe,  March  25,  1811,— by  BOND, 
independently,  April  21. 


William  Cranch  Bond  13 

on  this  point  that  it  took  months  for  the  intelli- 
gence to  travel  four  miles  to  Cambridge.  On  the 
other  hand,  he  applied  himself  most  industriously 
to  collect  observations  with  such  apparatus  as  he 
could  command.  To  watch  the  motions,  and  record 
the  positions  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  was  an  occu- 
pation perfectly  congenial  to  his  tastes,  which  evi- 
dently brought  with  it  its  own  reward.  It  was  his 
constant  practice,  from  the  time  when  he  first  came 
into  possession  of  appropriate  instrumental  means, 
to  record  astronomical  phenomena,  often  with  no 
other  apparent  motive  than  a  love  of  the  occupa- 
tion. For  thirty  years  this  was  done,  not  merely 
without  compensation,  but  to  his  manifest  pecun- 
iary disadvantage.  This  consideration,  it  is  prob- 
able, never  entered  his  mind. 

In  this  period  we  find  him  zealously  tracing  the 
courses  of  comets,  collecting  observations  of  lunar 
culminations,  occultations,  and  eclipses  of  the  sun, 
determining  by  different  methods  the  position  of 
his  observatory  and  connecting  it  by  trigonometric 
surveys  with  neighboring  points,  and  in  other  ways 
evincing  the  strength  of  the  ruling  passion  by  the 
sacrifices  which  were  made  to  gratify  it.  Nor  was 
his  attention  confined  to  astronomy;  the  kindred 
sciences  of  meteorology  and  magnetism  were  not 
neglected.  Even  on  his  journeys  it  was  his  cus- 
tom to  take  with  him  a  sextant  and  artificial  hori- 
zon and  a  chronometer  to  find  the  latitudes  and 
the  longitudes  of  the  places  visited. 

The  circumstances  connected  with  his  visit  to 
Europe  in  1815,  must  have  exercised  a  favorable 
influence  upon  his  astronomical  training.*  Apart 

*  At  a  meeting  of  the  President  and  Fellows  of  Harvard  Col- 
lege, held  May  10,  1815,  it  was  voted  that  the  President,  Treas- 
urer, and  Mr.  LOWELL,  with  Professor  FARRAR  and  Dr. 
NATHANIEL  BOWDITCH,  be  a  Committee  to  consider  the  sub- 
ject of  an  Observatory,  and  report  to  the  Corporation  their 
opinion  upon  the  most  eligible  plan  for  the  same,  and  the  site. 
BOND  was  at  that  time  going  abroad  (aged  twenty-six  years), 


14  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

from  the  invaluable  opportunity  it  afforded  of 
inspecting  some  of  the  best  observatories  of  the 
world,  and  of  witnessing  the  processes  of  instru- 
ment-making in  various  branches,  the  confidence 
thus  reposed  in  him  must  have  been  highly  grati- 
fying and  encouraging.  The  trust  was  discharged 
to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  college.  The  mem- 
oranda made  on  this  occasion  have  been  preserved, 
and  probably  furnish  the  most  exact  account  extant 
of  the  observatories  visited,  as  regards  their  plan 
and  manner  of  mounting  the  instruments.  A  part 
of  his  traveling  expenses  was  paid  by  the  college 
after  his  return.  He  probably  studiously  concealed 
from  those  who  sent  him  on  this  commission  the 
fact  that  he  was  left  in  England  in  a  state  of  utter 
destitution.  .  .  . 

The  longitude  of  his  observatory  in  Dorchester, 
adopted  just  thirty  years  since,  agrees  precisely 
with  the  latest  determination  of  the  position  of  the 
observatory  of  Harvard  College,  allowing  for  the 
difference  of  meridians.  The  latitude  also  presents 
as  exact  an  accordance  as  could  be  attained  with 
the  instruments  in  his  possession,  confirming  his 
remark:  "I  was  satisfied  that  no  repetitions  with 
the  instruments  would  have  given  me  greater  con- 
fidence in  the  result." 

In  the  first  house  which  he  owned  [in  Dorches- 
ter] the  only  parlor  was  sacrificed  to  science,  and 
forthwith  converted  into  an  observatory.  A  huge 
granite  block,  some  tons  in  weight,  rose  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  room,  and  the  ceiling  was  intersected  by 

and  was  given  the  mission  of  making  examinations  of  the 
building  and  instruments  at  Greenwich,  and  of  consulting 
with  instrument  makers.  His  letter  of  instructions  (dated 
June  23d)  from  Professor  FARRAR  and  his  account  of  his 
mission  are  printed  in  the  first  volume  of  the  Annuls  of  the 
Harvard  College  Observatory.  Plans  of  the  Observatories  of 
Greenwich,  Edinburgh,  etc.,  were  obtained,  and  advice  was 
received  from  POND  (Astronomer  Royal),  GROOMBRIDGE, 
BENTLEY,  Sir  WILLIAM  HERSCHEL,  EDWARD  TROUGHTON, 
and  others. 


William  Cranch  Bond  15 

a  meridian  opening.  My  recollection  will  just 
carry  me  thirty  years  back  to  this  room  and  its 
mysterious  paraphernalia.  I  can  recall,  too,  in  the 
garden  and  neighboring  fields  the  stone  blocks  for 
the  support  of  instruments,  meridian  marks,  etc. 
Like  the  men  of  old,  wherever  he  sojourned  a  stone 
was  set  up  as  a  memorial.  His  antipathy  to  an 
insecure  foundation  many  would  have  thought 
extravagant;  the  tremor  of  an  instrument  would 
annoy  and  fret  him  as  a  harsh  discord  does  the 
cultivated  ear  of  the  musician.  .  .  . 

Every  year,  as  his  means  allowed,  some  addition 
was  made  to  the  resources  for  observation;  but 
adversity  still  waited  on  him,  and  he  was  obliged, 
as  a  constant  practice,  after  the  whole  day  had  been 
devoted  to  business,  to  spend  hours  at  his  work- 
bench. He  made  it,  in  fact,  a  rule  of  life  to  earn 
enough  by  his  nightly  labor  at  his  profession  as  a 
watchmaker  to  meet  the  current  household  expenses. 
That  so  much  industry  and  application  should  have 
failed  in  placing  him  in  a  position  of  competence 
will  not  surprise  any  one  acquainted  with  his  meth- 
ods of  conducting  business  transactions,  for  which, 
as  far  as  his  own  pecuniary  advantage  was  con- 
cerned, he  had  no  capacity.  The  making  of  a  good 
bargain  was  to  him  the  most  incomprehensible  of 
problems. 

Between  1825  and  1830  he  was  engaged  in  col- 
lecting materials  for  an  investigation  on  the  com- 
parative rates  of  marine  chronometers  at  sea  and  on 
shore,  and  effectually  disposed  of  the  question,  as 
far  as  the  interests  of  navigation  are  concerned,  in 
a  communication  to  the  American  Academy,  contain- 
ing in  a  few  words  the  substance  of  a  thorough  dis- 
cussion of  the  subject.  No  mention  is  made  in  the 
memoir  of  other  experiments  conducted  by  him  on 
the  influence  of  changes  of  temperature,  of  the  pres- 
ence of  large  surfaces  of  iron,  etc.,  on  the  performance 


16  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

of  the  same  instrument.  It  deserves  notice,  that 
although  his  conclusions  on  these  investigations 
were  at  variance  with  the  opinions  of  men  high  in 
authority  and  influence,  they  are  now  known  to 
be  correct.  Variation  of  temperature  is  now  recog- 
nized as  the  grand  source  of  disturbance,  once 
vaguely  attributed  to  the  influence  of  "  traveling," 
or  of  a  "  sea  voyage." 

On  receiving  in  1838  an  appointment  from  the 
United  States  Government  to  cooperate  with  the 
exploring  expedition  under  the  command  of  Lieut. 
Com.  CHARLES  WILKES,  although  the  equipment  of 
his  observatory  was  amply  sufficient  for  the  objects 
specified  in  his  instructions,  he  would  content  him- 
self with  nothing  short  of  new  buildings  and  a  new 
suite  of  instruments.  For  the  first  time  in  his  life 
—  he  was  now  verging  on  fifty  —  the  object  of  long- 
restrained  aspirations  seemed  within  his  reach.  We 
may  censure  the  manifest  imprudence  of  commit- 
ting himself  to  a  plan  of  operations  which  would 
have  tasked  the  energies  of  three  men;  but  \ve  must 
admire  the  generous  enthusiasm  evinced  in  the 
undertaking.  In  a  short  time  a  new  observatory 
of  ample  size  was  erected  [in  Dorchester]  and  pro- 
vided with  complete  apparatus,  including  all  that 
was  requisite  for  an  investigation  of  the  magnetic 
and  meteorological  elements. 

The  magnetic  apartment  was  a  long  building, 
built  entirely  of  wood,  no  iron  nor  metallic  sub- 
stance of  any  description  entering  into  its  con- 
struction. Thus  provided,  he  assumed  the  truly 
Herculean  task  of  recording  on  term  days*  the 
position  of  the  magnetic  needle  at  intervals  of  ten 
seconds  (instead  of  the  five  minutes  proposed  by  the 
committee  of  the  Royal  Society)  throughout  the 
twenty-four  hours,  enlisting  the  aid  of  every  friend 

*  Certain  stated  days. 


THE  DANA  HOUSE.    First  Observatory  of  Harvard  College  — 1840. 


.William  Cranch  Bond  17 

whom  he  could  induce  to  volunteer  to  watch  the 
mysterious  excursions  of  the  magnet.  .  .  . 

The  circumstances  connected  with  my  father's 
removal  to  Cambridge,  in  December,  1839,  are 
detailed  in  the  remarks  made  at  a  recent  meeting 
of  the  American  Academy  by  one  who  had  been 
through  life  his  constant  friend,  the  Hon.  JOSIAH 
QUINCY. 

["  Ex-President  QUINCY,  upon  the  obituary  occa- 
sion referred  to,  made  this  interesting  statement 
as  to  the  initiation  of  his  project  for  Mr.  BOND'S 
removal  to  Cambridge:  'This  proposal,  so  in  uni- 
son with  his  pursuits  and  talents,  I  expected  would 
be  received  with  pleasure.  But  it  was  far  other- 
wise. In  the  spirit  of  that  innate  modesty  which 
predominated  in  his  character,  and  apparently  cast 
a  shadow  over  all  his  excellent  qualities  and  attain- 
ments, Mr.  BOND  hesitated,  doubted  his  qualifica- 
tions for  the  position.  He  said  his  habits  were  not 
adapted  to  public  station;  that  our  combined  appa- 
ratus would  be  small,  and  that  something  great 
might  be  expected;  that  he  preferred  independence 
in  obscurity  to  responsibility  in  an  elevated  posi- 
tion. He  raised  many  other  objections,  which  need 
not  here  be  repeated,  as  they  were  overcome.' 

"At  the  date  of  this  interview  the  President 
found  Mr.  BOND  well  established  in  a  profitable 
manufacturing  business,  happily  situated  in  his 
domestic  and  neighborhood  surroundings,  with  an 
avocation  fascinating  enough  to  occupy  all  his  leis- 
ure, and  a  fame  extensive  enough  to  satisfy  his  own 
modest  estimate  'of  his  abilities.  There  was  no 
pecuniary  betterment  for  Mr.  BOND  in  the  sug- 
gested change.  Mr.  QUINCY  could  only  offer  him 
what  he  had  already,  a  family  domicile;*  so  that 
the  proposal  might  warrant  an  adaptation  of  SIDNEY 


*  No  salary  was  attached  to  the  office  until  1846. 
C 


18  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

SMITH'S  famous  phrase,  and  be  described  as  an 
invitation  to  come  to  Cambridge  and  'cultivate 
astronomy  upon  a  little  oatmeal.'  In  so  phrasing 
it  there  is  no  disparagement  of  the  college;  it  was 
the  day  of  small  things,  of  pennies,  not  dollars,  in 
the  college  treasury.  But  the  event  speaks  the 
praises  of  Mr.  QUINCY,  whose  sagacity  was  unfail- 
ing, and  before  whose  persuasiveness  and  energy 
difficulties  in  administration  were  wont  to  give 
way,  and  of  Mr.  BOND,  whose  unselfishness  and 
loyalty  to  science  were  proof  against  pecuniary 
considerations.  In  mental  traits  each  was  in  many 
respects  the  complement  of  the  other,  and  it  is  not 
too  much  to  say  that  these  two  were  pre-eminently 
the  founders  and  builders  of  the  observatory."*] 

.  .  .  The  following  comments  will  furnish  some 
additional  particulars,  which  may  be  of  service. 
Prior  to  the  occupation  of  the  new  observatory, 
magnetic  and  meteorological  observations  engrossed 
a  large  share  of  attention.  The  Magnetic  Observa- 
tory had  been  thoroughly  equipped  with  the  aid  of 
funds  contributed  by  the  American  Academy  ,f  and 
by  private  subscription.  The  system  proposed  by 
the  Royal  Society  was  followed  up  to  the  end  of 
March,  1843,  with  a  considerable  extension,  effected 
with  the  assistance  of  Professors  LOVERING  and 
PEIRCE  and  of  the  "  Harvard  Meteorological 
Society,"  composed  of  students  in  the  university. 
This  association,  suggested  by  Professor  PEIRCE, 
continued  in  activity  for  more  than  a  year.  My 
father's  labors  were  not,  however,  at  this  time 
wholly  diverted  from  astronomy,  as  is  witnessed  by 
the  addition  of  above  two  hundred  lunar  culmina- 
tions to  his  previous  collection,  beside  records  of 
occultations  and  eclipses,  meteors,  auroras,  etc.  In 

*  History  of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory,  by  DANIEL 
W.  BAKER,  page  13. 

1 91000  given  in  1840. 


William  Cranch  Bond  19 

November,  1841,  by  the  untimely  death  of  his  old- 
est son,  WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND  Jr.,  he  was  deprived 
of  a  devoted  assistant.  Though  cut  off  at  the  early 
age  of  twenty,  my  brother  had  become  an  accom- 
plished and  zealous  observer.  He  possessed  an 
unusual  taste  for  mathematics,  and  gave  high 
promise  of  future  eminence.  His  natural  bias 
toward  astronomy  was  far  stronger  than  mine.* 
While  I  was  in  a  manner  pressed  into  the  service, 
he  entered  of  free  choice.  My  father's  loss  by  this 
affliction  I  have  always  felt  to  be  scarcely  greater 
than  my  own.  His  disposition  had  much  of  his 
father's  gentleness;  and  to  have  enjoyed  the  inti- 
mate sympathy  in  scientific  pursuits  of  such  a  com- 
panion in  after  life  would  have  been  to  me  an 
inestimable  advantage. 

You  will  find  in  all  historical  notices  of  the  new 
observatory  allusions  to  the  influence  upon  the 
public  mind  of  the  sudden  apparition  of  the  great 
comet  of  1843,  and  I  think  this  has  not  been  over- 
rated. Professor  LOOMIS,  in  his  sketch  of  the  prin- 
cipal observatories  of  the  United  States,f  ascribes 
the  general  movement  which  took  place  in  this 
country  in  1835-38  in  favor  of  an  extension  of 
our  means  of  celestial  observation,  to  the  return  of 
the  comet  of  H ALLEY  in  1835-36.  Thus,  projects 
for  observatories  were  set  on  foot  at  Williams  Col- 
lege in  1836;  Hudson,  Ohio,  1836-37;  Philadelphia, 
1837-38;  West  Point,  1837-38,  and  the  National 
Observatory  at  Washington  had  the  first  effective 
impulse  given  to  it  in  1838.  My  father's  appoint- 
ment by  the  government  as  Astronomical  Observer 
occurred  in  1838.  Georgetown  and  Cincinnati 
[observatories]  followed  soon  after,  beside  private 
enterprises  of  a  similar  nature. 

*  See  the  next  chapter,  however.    . . 

t  Recent  Progress  of  Astronomy  in  the  United  States,  1856, 
8vo. 


20  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

No  country  in  the  world  has  at  this  moment  a 
larger  number  of  the  finest  instruments,  and  even 
of  observatories,  as  far  as  stone  piers,  bricks  and 
mortar,  and  a  place  in  college  catalogues  will  give 
a  claim  to  the  name.  We  should  probably  be  short 
of  the  truth  if  we  estimate  the  present  number  of 
these  institutions,  provided  with  means  for  furnish- 
ing astronomical  data  of  a  high  order,  at  fifty. 
Three  only  manifest  any  vitality.  Is  it  not  clear, 
from  the  neglect  and  disease  of  the  rest,  that  men 
are  rare  who  will  make  great  personal  sacrifices  for 
science?  What  would  my  father  not  have  given 
for  the  early  opportunities  now  so  freely  afforded? 

It  is  not  without  interest  to  me  to  connect  deci- 
sive epochs  in  his  career  with  notable  events  in 
astronomy.  The  total  eclipse  of  1806  was  witnessed 
under  such  a  rare  combination  of  circumstances 
that  centuries  may  elapse  before  one  of  equal  gran- 
deur occurs.  Its  duration  at  Boston  was  "five 
minutes,  almost  the  greatest  possible."  The  impres- 
siveness  of  the  scene  can  scarcely  have  been  sur- 
passed in  any  other  natural  phenomenon.  An 
eyewitness  speaks  of  "  the  perfect  day  without  a 
cloud,  the  slowly-increasing  gloom,  the  falling 
dews,  the  darkening  west,  the  trembling  stars  look- 
ing out  upon  the  scene,  the  birds  and  animals  seek- 
ing the  protection  of  man,  the  silence  and  tears  of 
the  spectators.  Then  the  arrowy  rays  shot  out, 
rekindling  nature."  The  great  comet  of  1811  con- 
firmed the  already  deep  impression  made  on  his 
mind  by  this  event.  H ALLEY'S  comet,  as  we  have 
seen,  became  a  turning  point  in  the  scientific  prog- 
ress of  the  country;  that  of  1843  heralded  the  suc- 
cessful movement  at  Cambridge  in  that  year.  The 
last  object  which  my  father  viewed  through  the 
great  telescope  was  the  comet  of  DON  ATI,  on  the  5th 
of  October,  1858.  On  what  more  fitting  scene  could 
that  eye  have  rested !  It  was  near  sunset,  the  sky 


William  Cranch  Bond  21 

beautifully  clear  and  tranquil.  By  a  singular  coin- 
cidence, it  was  the  day  on  which  the  comet  had 
attained  its  greatest  splendor,  the  day,  too,  on 
which  it  passed  its  conjunction  with  the  brilliant 
star  Arcturus,  an  occasion  memorable  in  astronom- 
ical history. 

Between  1843  and  1844,  in  the  erection  of  the 
new  observatory  and  in  the  preparation  for  the 
mounting  of  the  instruments,  he  derived  much 
advantage  from  previous  experience.  Of  this  I 
will  mention  one  or  two  illustrations.  To  secure 
stability  in  the  position  of  the  piers  upon  which 
the  instruments  immediately  rest,  he  insisted  that 
no  expensive  attempts  should  be  made  to  fit  or 
smooth  the  faces  of  blocks  resting  one  on  the  other, 
but  that  three  bearings  alone  should  be  admitted  at 
the  base  of  each  pier,  situated  horizontally  as  far 
from  the  center  of  gravity  as  practicable.  These 
three  points  necessarily  fixed  the  position  of  the 
plane  of  the  base  as  effectually  as  if  the  surfaces 
were  fitted  with  all  possible  care  and  expense.  By 
attending  to  this  condition,  not  only  is  the  desired 
end  perfectly  accomplished,  but  much  is  gained  in 
the  readiness  with  which  the  preliminary  adjust- 
ments can  be  made.  An  instance  occurred  in  the 
mounting  of  the  great  equatorial.  It  was  necessary 
to  set  the  massive  block  of  granite,  on  which  it  rests, 
in  position  upon  the  capstone  before  the  instru- 
ment arrived  from  Europe.  Of  course  it  could  not 
be  accurately  adjusted  until  the  instrument  had 
been  mounted,  and  the  errors  ascertained  from 
celestial  observation.  When  this  had  been  done, 
it  was  found  that  the-  block  with  the  instrument 
upon  it,  weighing  together  nearly  fifteen  tons,  must 
be  moved  with  the  utmost  nicety  to  bring  the  lat- 
ter into  the  meridian.  By  a  record  in  our  note- 
books, I  find  that  this  was  effected  in  between  five 
and  ten  minutes,  with  the  aid  of  a  few  wedges  and 


22  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

a  jackscrew.  Had  the  surfaces  been  cemented  or 
accurately  fitted,  a  good  deal  of  delay  and  trouble 
would  have  been  unavoidable.  The  plan  is  so 
simple  that  one  might  suppose  it  could  scarcely 
have  been  overlooked,  but  instances  to  the  con- 
trary, attended  with  no  small  inconvenience  and 
expense,  are  known  to  have  occurred.* 

The  present  plan  for  the  revolving  dome — the 
mounting  upon  spherical  balls  instead  of  wheels 
or  rollers  —  has  the  same  character  of  simplicity. 
[It  was  proposed  by  my  father  in  1815  or  1816.] 
.  .  .  Contrary  to  my  father's  advice,  indeed  against 
strenuous  opposition  on  his  part,  the  dome  was 
in  the  first  instance  mounted  upon  a  system  of 
rollers,  which  entirely  failed  of  accomplishing  the 
object  intended.  His  own  views  of  what  was 
required  in  the  building  of  the  observatory  differed 
so  widely  from  those  of  the  architect  as  to  occasion 
a  good  deal  of  disquietude,  and  he  would  never 
admit  his  responsibility  for  its  external  appearance, 
nor  for  its  internal  arrangements,  excepting  in  the 
piers,  the  plans  for  the  dome,  and  the  machinery 
of  meridian  openings,  observing  chair,  etc. 

One  of  his  first  cares  at  the  new  observatory  was 
to  determine,  in  conjunction  with  Colonel  GRAHAM 
of  the  Topographical  Engineers,  the  latitude  by 
the  method  of  prime  vertical  transits.  The  partic- 
ulars are  given  in  the  third  volume  of  the  Memoirs 
of  the  American  Academy.  This  has  been  pronounced 
by  high  authority  to  have  been  at  the  time  "  the 
only  latitude  in  the  country  determined  with  the 
requisite  precision  for  the  higher  problems  of 
astronomy." 

In  this  year,  December,  1844,  a  small  equatorial 
telescope  [two  and  three-quarter  inches  in  aperture] 
was  temporarily  mounted  in  a  building  to  the  west 

*This  is  a  reference  to  the  construction  and  installation  of 
the  piers  of  the  Dudley  Observatory. 


HARVARD  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY— 1847. 


William  Cranch  Bond  23 

of  the  great  pier.  This  served  a  useful  purpose  by 
supplying  extra-meridional  observations  on  comets, 
etc.,  until  the  arrival  of  the  great  refractor.  Among 
these  were  the  solar  eclipses  of  May,  1845,  and  April, 
1846, —  the  transit  of  Mercury  over  the  sun  on  May 
8, 1846,  etc.  With  the  assistance  of  this  instrument, 
the  planet  Neptune  was  seen  for  the  first  time  in 
America  on  the  21st  of  October,  1846,  the  evening  on 
which  we  first  received  intelligence  of  its  discovery 
at  Berlin.  The  observations  subsequently  made  were 
incorporated  in  the  well-known  investigations  of 
Prof.  SEARS  C.  WALKER.  Upon  the  fine  comet  of 
June,  1845,  we  obtained  exact  measurements  on 
three  dates  (the  2d,  4th,  and  6th  of  June),  sufficient 
therefore  to  determine  its  elements,  before  a  single 
reliable  determination  of  its  place  had  been  made 
in  Europe.  The  very  remarkable  phenomenon  of 
the  division  of  the  comet  of  BIELA  presented  itself 
in  this  small  telescope  as  an  elongation  of  the  par- 
ent body  on  the  14th  of  January,  1846,  one  day 
later  than  its  recognition  by  the  astronomers  at 
Washington,  where  its  double  character  was  first 
detected  [with  the  9.6  inch  equatorial],  but  one  day 
in  advance  of  European  observers. 

A  series  of  drawings  of  solar  spots  was  executed 
in  1847-48-49  by,  my  father,  also  with  this  tele- 
scope. They  number  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
sheets,  often  containing  several  groups  on  each. 

On  reference  to  the  following  passages  in  the 
"Annals,  Vol.  I,  Part  I,"  viz.  p.  Ixxx,  "Mr.  BOND 
has  for  five  years,"  etc.;  p.  Ixxxvii,  "It  being 
understood,"  etc.;  p.  xciii,  "And  when  it  is 
known,"  etc., —  you  will  perceive  that  his  services 
to  the  college,  up  to  August,  1846,  had  been  ren- 
dered without  pecuniary  compensation.* 


*His  contract  with  the  United  States  Government  termi- 
nated in  August,  1842.  How  well  he  had  acquitted  himself  in 
this  engagement  will  appear  from  the  liberal  proposals  made 


24  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

The  great  refractor  was  received  on  the  llth  of 
June,  1847.  The  mounting  was  commenced  on 
the  23d  and  completed  on  the  24th  of  the  same 
month  without  the  slightest  accident. 

Among  the  earliest  objects  critically  examined 
were  the  nebulae  of  Orion  and  Andromeda,  disclos- 
ing new  features  in  each.  The  very  complicated 
character  of  that  first  named  renders  its  correct 
delineation  a  most  difficult  undertaking.  My 
father's  drawing  has  been  pronounced  by  Sir  JOHN 
HERSCHEL,  not  an  incompetent  judge,  the  best  that 
has  appeared.  About  two  years  since,  M.  OTTO 
STRUVE  criticised  the  positions  of  the  stars  included 
in  the  engraving  somewhat  freely,  or  rather  to  my 
mind,  offensively;  and  his  disparaging  remarks 
have  been  republished  and  circulated  in  the  news- 
papers in  the  country,  probably  through  the  agency 
of  one  of  the  "  sacred  brotherhood  of  science."  How- 
ever this  may  be,  I  have  given  the  subject  a  most 
thorough  revision  in  the  winters  of  1857-58-59,* 
and  am  now  engaged  upon  the  reductions.  This 
seems  due  to  a  proper  regard  for  the  reputation 
of  the  observatory,  in  the  only  instance  of  an 
unfriendly  disposition  manifested  toward  it  by  an 
European  astronomer. 

The  planet  Saturn  was  subjected  to  a  thorough 
scrutiny,  the  fruits  of  which  are  mentioned  on 
p.  xix  of  the  "Annals,  Vol.  I,  Part  I,"  and  more 
at  length  in  two  or  three  papers  in  the  Memoirs  of 
the  American  Academy,  and  in  Vol.  I,  Part  II,  of 
the  "Annals."1f  In  this  connection  I  may  mention 

to  him  in  1845  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  the  Chief  of 
the  Hydrographical  Bureau  to  take  charge  of  the  National 
Observatory. 

*The  Memoir  is  printed  in  Volume  V  of  the  Annals  of  the 
Harvard  College  Observatory. 

fThe  reference  is  to  the  discovery  of  the  eighth  satellite  of 
Satwn  —  viz.  Hyperion— on  September  19,  1848.  The  discovery 
was  made  by  «.  P.  BOND,  September  17th  and  18th,  and  veri- 
fied by  W.  C.  BOND,  September  19th;  and  by  W.  LASSELL,  in 
England,  on  the  same  night. 


William  Cranch  Bond  25 

that  some  of  the  best  authorities  have  made  con- 
flicting and  erroneous  statements  in  relation  to  the 
phenomena  and  constitution  of  the  rings  of  Saturn. 
I  am  convinced,  for  instance,  that  the  eminent  Eng- 
lish writer,  Mr.  GRANT,  is  altogether  in  error  in  the 
explanation  of  the  bright  protuberances  upon  the 
edge  of  the  ring  "at  its  disappearance."  These 
phenomena  are  discussed  in  an  appendix  to  our 
volume  of  Saturn  observations.  He  assigns  also  to 
LAPLACE  the  discovery  of  the  fluidity  of  the  rings, 
to  which  you  will  find  a  satisfactory  reply  on  p. 
xix  of  our  "Annals." 

^3ur  numerous  observations  and  drawings  of 
Jupiter,  in  1848-49,  have  not  been  published,  and 
the  same  may  be  said  of  the  valuable  collection 
of  drawings  of  solar  spots  made  by  my  father  in 
1847-48-49,  above  referred  to.*  During  the  same 
interval  we  formed,  with  much  pains,  a  chart  of  the 
stars  in  the  cluster  of  Hercules.  I  am  sorry  to  add, 
that  this  also  is  condemned  to  the  same  obscurity 
with  the  results  of  many  other  laborious  undertak- 
ings which  we  are  without  the  means  of  publishing. 
A  notice  of  the  cluster  will  be  found  on  p.  cxxxvii 
of  the  "Annals." 

The  mass  of  the  planet  Neptune  has  been  deduced 
both  by  Professor  PEIRCE  and  myself  from  the 
measurements  of  the  satellites,  made  with  the  aid 
of  the  great  refractor,  and  has  been  found  by 
Professor  PEIRCE  to  represent  in  a  most  satisfactory 
manner  the  observed  irregularities  in  the  motions 
of  Uranus. 

With  the  history  of  the  discovery  of  Hyperion 
and  of  the  new  ring  of  Saturn  you  are  already 
familiar.  Observations  for  the  parallax  of  the  sun 
have  been  made  by  three  different  processes.  In 


*The  drawings  of  sun  spots  were  published  in  Vol.  VII  of 
the  Annals  of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory,  by  the  care  of 
Professor  WINLOCK,  Director. 


26  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

1849-50  by  simultaneous  observations  at  Cam- 
bridge and  Santiago,  Chili,  upon  the  planet  Mars 
in  opposition,  and  in  1857  upon  Venus  at  its  infe- 
rior conjunction. 

The  parallax  was  also  determined  in  1849-50 
by  a  method  probably  for  the  first  time  put  in 
practice;  namely,  by  the  displacement  of  Mars  in 
right  ascension  at  considerable  hour  angles  east 
and  west  of  the  meridian.  Of  this  process,  which 
has  the  peculiar  advantage  that  it  does  not  require 
the  cooperation  of  a  second  observatory,  Mr.  AIRY,  in 
a  lecture  before  the  Astronomical  Society,  expressed 
the  opinion  that  it  was  the  best  of  all  known  meth- 
ods. For  his  statement  of  its  advantages,  see 
Monthly  Notices  of  the  Royal  Astronomical  Society, 
1856-57,  p.  219.  He  was  not  probably  at  the  time 
aware  that  it  had  been  used  in  America  several 
years  before. 

The  zone  observations  (of  which  one  volume  has 
appeared,  Vol.  I,  Part  II,  of  the  Annals,  and  a  sec- 
ond is  ready  for  press)  were  set  on  foot  in  1852.  It 
has  always  been  our  design  to  continue  them  as 
rapidly  as  the  means  of  publication  will  allow,  as 
a  part  of  the  current  work  of  the  institution. 

Passing  over  matters  of  less  importance,  I  will 
allude  only  to  the  following  additional  operations 
in  which  the  observatory  has  been  intimately  con- 
cerned during  the  period  of  my  father's  directorship. 

The  observatory  has  contributed  much  to  the 
public  welfare  through  its  constant  connection,  by 
correspondence,  advice,  the  communication  of  obser- 
vations, and  in  various  other  ways,  with  nearly  all 
of  the  great  surveys  which  have  been  carried  on 
on  this  continent  during  the  last  twenty  years. 

Our  northern  and  southern  boundary  "lines,  the 
surveys  of  our  eastern  and  western  coasts  and  of 
our  inland  seas,  the  proposed  routes  of  the  Pacific 
railroads,  and  many  similar  enterprises  in  the 


THE  FIFTEEN-INCH  REFRACTOR  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY, 
AND  THE  OBSERVER'S  CHAIR. 


William  Cmneh  Bond  27 

United  States,  in  Canada,  the  British  provinces, 
and  Mexico,  have  been  more  or  less  indebted  to 
Cambridge  for  some  measure  of  the  success  with 
which  they  have  been  conducted. 

Cambridge  is  now  the  central  geographical  point 
of  this  continent.  The  charts  of  the  British  Admi- 
ralty, and  the  most  remote  scientific  station  on  this 
hemisphere,  Santiago,  in  Chili,  recognize  this  fact. 
This  distinction,  conferred  in  the  first  instance  in 
deference  to  the  authority  of  the  data  accumulated 
by  my  father's  industry  at  Dorchester,  has  since 
received  the  most  ample  confirmation.  Our  longi- 
tude^ has  undoubtedly  been  investigated  with  more 
care  than  that  of  any  other  spot  on  the  globe.*  By 
the  employment  of  the  telegraph,  all  the  more 
important  localities  accessible  by  that  means  are 
readily  referred  to  the  primary  station. 

One  other  honorable  distinction  to  which  the 
observatory  may  justly  lay  claim  is  its  association 
with  the  earliest  origin  and  improvement  of  the 
two  methods  recently  proposed  for  the  registration 
of  celestial  phenomena,  viz.  the  use  of  the  electric 
current  in  the  registration  of  the  transits  of  stars, 
and  the  application  of  photography  to  astronomy. 
My  own  opinion  of  the  influence  which  pho- 
tography is  destined  to  exert  upon  the  future  of 
astronomy  is  presented  in  an  article  upon  "Celes- 
tial Photography,"  published  in  the  American  Alma- 
nac for  1859.  It  is  now  more  than  ten  years  since 
the  electro-magnetic  process  came  into  use.  It 
has,  until  quite  recently,  met  with  anything  but 
favor  abroad  (England  excepted).  Continental 


*  In  addition  to  the  results  from  occultations,  eclipses,  and 
moon  culminations  (eight  hundred  of  the  latter,  and  two  or 
three  hundred  of  the  former  have  been  observed  at  Cambridge), 
three  special  chronometric  expeditions  between  Boston  and 
Liverpool  have  been  conducted  by  my  father,  at  the  expense  of 
the  United  States  Coast  Survey,  for  the  purpose  of  furnishing 
an  independent  determination  of  longitude. 


28  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

astronomers,  who  have  been  at  no  pains  to  conceal 
their  indifference  to  its  claims,  are  now  reduced  to 
the  necessity  of  making  the  fullest  admission  of  its 
superior  excellence  in  every  particular.  No  alter- 
native is  indeed  presented  but  to  sacrifice  either 
their  prejudices  or  the  interests  of  science  and  their 
own  reputation  as  accurate  observers.  There  will 
doubtless  be  a  few  of  the  present  generation  who 
will  choose  the  latter  course,  but  the}r  cannot  stay 
the  manifest  destiny  of  the  electric  method  to  take 
rank  with  the  telescope  and  the  clock  among  the 
indispensable  requisites  for  the  solution  of  the 
future  problems  of  astronomy. 

In  the  first  volume  of  the  Annals  of  the  Harvard 
College  Observatory  there  is  a  list  of  the  principal 
contributions  to  the  institution  since  its  foundation. 
In  1839  thirty  gentlemen,  well-known  merchants  of 
Boston,  gave  $100  each  to  the  observatory  funds, 
and  the  American  Academy  gave  from  the  Rum- 
ford  fund  $1000.  The  last  sum  was  expended  in 
furnishing  the  magnetic  apparatus.  In  1843  there 
are  contributions  from  ninety-five  societies  and 
individuals,  amounting  in  all  to  $25,730.  Mr. 
DAVID  SEARS  gave  $5500  for  the  construction  of 
the  main  tower,  the  American  Academy  gave 
$3000,  the  Society  for  the  Diffusion  of  Useful 
Knowledge  gave  $1000,  and  the  contributions  of 
individuals  make  up  the  rest.  The  large  equato- 
rial was  purchased  and  the  observatory  constructed 
from  this  fund.  In  1846  there  are  again  contri- 
butions from  thirty-three  gentlemen  of  Boston, 


William  Cranch  Bond  29 

amounting  to  $5170,  which  was  used  in  completing 
the  equipment.  In  1847  Mr.  DAVID  SEARS  gives 
$5000.  In  1848  an  endowment  of  $100,000  was 
made  by  the  will  of  EDWARD  BROMFIELD  PHILLIPS, 
a  friend  of  GEORGE  BOND. 

EDWARD  BROMFIELD  PHILLIPS,  a  young  man  of 
large  fortune,  was  a  classmate  of  GEORGE  BOND  in 
Harvard.  He  was  a  modest,  shy  lad,  whose  life  at 
honde  was  not  happy,  and  who  had  few  friends. 
He  was  much  attached  to  BOND  and  interested  in 
his  pursuits,  though  he  was  not  himself  a  specially 
brilliant  scholar.  After  his  graduation  an  unhappy 
love  affair  led  to  differences  with  those  with  whom 
he  was  then  living.  His  brief  unhappy  life  came 
to  a  sudden  and  a  tragic  end.  He  died  by  his  own 
hand.  In  his  will  he  left  a  legacy  of  $100,000  to 
the  observatory,  and  the  Phillips  Professorship 
of  Astronomy  in  Harvard  University  commemo- 
rates his  name.  It  was  understood  that  his  gift 
was  prompted  by  his  friendship  for  the  younger 
BOND  and  by  his  interest  in  his  work.*  The  gift 
made  a  distinct  improvement  in  the  affairs  and 
standing  of  the  observatory.  WILLIAM  CRANCH 
BOND  became  the  first  Phillips  Professor,  and  the 
office  has  been  held  by  all  the  directors  of  the 
observatory  successively,  namely,  GEORGE  BOND, 


*  See  Annals  Harvard  College  Observatory,  Vol.  I,  Appen- 
dix, p.  cxlii. 


30  Memorial  of  tJie  Bonds 

JOSEPH  WINLOCK,  EDWARD  C.  PICKERING.  It  is 
now  held  by  the  chief  assistant  in  the  observatory, 
ARTHUR  SEARLE,  and  is  thus  for  the  first  time  sepa- 
rated from  the  directorship. 

In  the  year  1851  there  are  again  contributions 
of  small  sums  from  sixty  gentlemen  of  Boston, 
which  amount  in  all  to  $4575.  It  is  interesting 
to  note  that  the  various  subscriptions  come  from 
the  same  families  year  by  year. 

In  the  year  1855  ex-President  QUINCY  made  an 
endowment  of  $10,000,  the  interest  on  which  was 
to  be  devoted  solely  to  the  publication  of  the  An- 
nals of  the  observatory.  The  endowment  was  made 
in  memory  of  President  QUINCY'S  father,  JOSIAH 
QUINCY,  who  died  in  April,  1775,  leaving  a  name 
inseparably  connected  with  the  history  of  the 
American  Revolution. 

During  the  years  1839-55  the  gifts  to  Harvard 
College  Observatory  from  its  friends  (mostly  gentle- 
men of  Boston  and  vicinity)  amounted  to  $154,- 
475.  The  direct  appropriations  from  the  general 
funds  of  the  college  were  but  small.  The  salary  of 
the  director  was  $1800,  and  of  his  son  $600,  at  first. 
The  support  given  to  the  Harvard  College  Observa- 
tory in  its  early  days  by  the  generous  and  intelli- 
gent community  which  surrounds  it  is  continued 
to  this  day,  when  it  has  an  income  nearly  twelve 
times  that  of  a  generation  ago. 


William  Cranch  Bond  31 

The  elder  BOND  was  the  soul  of  kindly  hospi- 
tality, but  his  nature  was  shy  and  retiring,  and  his 
whole  thoughts  given  up  to  his  profession.  There 
seems,  however,  to  have  been  constant  entertain- 
ment of  scientific  colleagues  and  of  old  family 
friends.  For  these  "  open  house"  was  always  kept, 
and  the  hospitality  was  generous,  kindly  and  dig- 
nified. The  children  of  the  family  were  one  and 
all  impressed  into  the  all-absorbing  service  of 
astronomy,  and  saw  comparatively  little  of  the 
young  social  life  around  them.  They  were  in  close 
touch  with  the  earnest  work  of  their  father;  his 
friends  were  theirs,  rather  than  the  youth  of  their 
own  age;  and  being  like  him,  quiet,  modest  and 
serious,  they  made  comparatively  few  friendships. 
But  these,  once  made,  were  peculiarly  tender  and 
enduring. 

In  his  later  years  WILLIAM  BOND  was  very  frail 
in  health,  and  subject  to  distressing  seizures  of 
heart  trouble.  The  slightest  excitement  or  emo- 
tion put  his  life  in  extreme  peril.  He  is  remem- 
bered in  his  last  years  as  a  gentle,  kindly  old  man, 
serene  and  placid,  with  silvery  hair  and  a  com- 
plexion as  rosy  and  delicate  as  a  little  child's.  His 
temperament  was  deeply  religious;  his  piety  gen- 
uine and  unaffected. 

His  sons,  WILLIAM,  JOSEPH,  GEORGE  and  KICH- 
ARD  were  all,  in  their  various  ways,  men  of  marked 


32  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

ability.  I  believe  that  they  all  died  under  forty 
years  of  age.  WILLIAM  was  rarely  gifted,  arid  by 
his  early  death,  when  in  his  senior  year  in  Harvard, 
America  lost  a  brilliant  man  of  science.  From 
his  childhood  he  was  devoted  to  the  theoretical  and 
practical  study  of  astronomy,  and  became  his  father's 
zealous  and  very  proficient  assistant.  From  the 
time  of  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Cambridge, 
he  "voluntarily  devoted  himself  to  the  interests  of 
the  observatory  from  its  first  establishment,  by  daily 
and  nightly  labors  in  observation  and  computa- 
tion." It  is  to  be  noted  that  there  was  no  pecun- 
iary compensation  for  any  of  this  work.  No 
salaries  were  paid  until  1846,  seven  years  after 
BOND'S  removal  to  Cambridge. 

JOSEPH  and  RICHARD  were  both  able  men.  The 
latter,  especially,  was  very  ingenious,  and  was  the 
ever-ready  and  intelligent  coadjutor  of  his  father 
and  brother  in  the  horological  work  of  the  observ- 
atory. He  had  a  large  share  in  contriving  the 
"  spring-governor,"  and  devised  a  new  clock-escape- 
ment,* which  received  a  medal  at  the  Paris  Expo- 
sition of  1867.  The  spring-governor  (chronograph) 
.was  similarly  rewarded  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
Exposition  of  1851. 

RICHARD  BOND  took  the  liveliest  interest  in  the 


*  Which  is  described,  with  a  plate,  in  BRUENNOW'S  Astro- 
nomical Notices,  No.  21,  October  11,  I860. 


William  Cranch  Bond  33 

affairs  of  the  observatory,  and  was  the  first  to  see 
the  secondary  tail  of  the  great  comet  of  1858. 

During  the  elder  BOND'S  incumbency  the  observ- 
atory was  a  popular  resort  for  all  classes  of  citizens. 
Crowds  used  to  visit  it.  It  was  the  pride  of  many 
Boston  men  of  business  who  had  contributed  toward 
its  establishment,  and  its  novelty  was  a  source  of 
great  attraction.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the 
healthy  interest  in  astronomy  thus  created  could 
not  have  been  fostered ;  but  the  throngs  of  daily 
visitors  interfered  so  seriously  in  the  systematic 
work  of  the  institution  that  it  became  necessary  to 
refuse  admission  to  any  sightseers  not  provided 
with  letters  to  the  director.* 

The  first  volume  of  the  Harvard  College  Observ- 
atory Annals  (1856)  contains  a  quantity  of  data  relat- 
ing to  the  early  history  of  the  institution  and  the 
Reports  of  the  director,  etc.,  to  1855.  Much  of  this 
history  has  been  told  in  other  words  in  the  present 
chapter.  A  few  extracts  from  the  Annals  may  be 
collected  in  this  place  to  supplement  what  has 
gone  before. 

It  is  interesting  to  remark  that  the  vessel  which 
took  Professor  WINTHROP  and  his  party  to  New- 
foundland to  observe  the  transit  of  Venus,  in  1761, 
was  fitted  out  at  the  public  expense;  and  that  again, 
in  1780 — in  the  midst  of  the  war — the  Government 


*  See  a  letter  dated  February  28,  1859,  in  Chapter  IV. 
D 


34  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

directed  the  Board  of  War  to  fit  out  a  galley  to  con- 
vey a  party  from  Harvard  to  observe  the  eclipse  of 
the  sun  at  Penobscot  (Maine).  In  183U  the  Dana 
House  property  was  bought  by  the  college  for 
observatory  purposes,  and  in  1844-45  the  latitude 
was  deduced  by  Professor  PEIRCE  from  observa- 
tions by  the  BONDS  and  by  Colonel  GRAHAM  of  the 
army.  The  site  for  the  new  observatory  was  pur- 
chased in  1841,  the  buildings  were  constructed  by 
1846,  and  the  great  telescope  was  mounted  June 
24,  1847. 

Just  what  the  exact  relations  of  the  Perkins  Pro- 
fessor of  Astronomy  (Professor  PEIRCE)  and  of  the 
Astronomical  Observer  of  Harvard  College  (Mr.  W. 
C.  BOND)  were  originally  intended  to  be  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  say.  In  1847  the  Board  of  Visitors  say: 
"...  These  instruments  are  necessary  to  complete 
the  apparatus  indispensable  to  facilitate  the  con- 
current labors  of  the  Perkins  Professor  of  Astron- 
omy and  of  the  observer."  In  1845  JOHN  QUINCY 
ADAMS  had  written  to  the  President  of  the  college 
(JosiAH  QUINCY)  that  the  line  of  division  between 
the  duties  of  the  observer  and  those  of  the  Perkins 
Professor  should  be  accurately  drawn.  Correspond- 
ence on  this  subject  exists,  but  it  is  not  readily 
available,  nor  (now)  very  important.  In  1849  the 
Visitors  "  deem  it  their  duty,  unanimously,  to  state 
that,  in  their  judgment,  the  occupation,  care  and 


William  Cranch  Bond  35 

custody  of  the  house  and  buildings,  and  of  all  the 
instruments  of  the  observatory,  should  be  vested  in 
the  director  of  the  observatory  for  the  time  being, 
and  that  on  him  should  rest,  exclusively,  the 
responsibility  for  their  use,  by  himself,  or  by  any 
person  whomsoever;  and  that,  also,  the  right  in  the 
observations  made  by  him  shall  vest  in  him  exclu- 
sively," etc. —  subject,  of  course,  to  the  control  of 
the  corporation.  At  one  time  the  observatory  was 
attached  to  the  Lawrence  Scientific  School,  but  it 
was  finally  organized  as  "a  separate  department  of 
the  university,"  with  an  "independent  existence" 
and  a  "separate  faculty  of  its  own,"  in  1855  or 
thereabouts. 

The  official  name  of  the  institution  was  fixed 
in  1849  as  "  The  Observatory  of  Harvard  College." 
In  their  report  of  1851  the  Visitors  strongly  recom- 
mended that  it  should  be  in  the  future  known  as 
"  The  Observatory  of  Harvard  University."  For 
some  reason  this  recommendation  was  not  adopted, 
and  the  old  name  still  serves  to-day.  These  small 
signs  point  to  some  administrative  friction,  which 
is  of  small  import  now,  but  which  had  its  impor- 
tance at  the  time. 

The  relations  of  the  Perkins  Professor  to  the 
BONDS  were  very  friendly  until  the  year  1851,  when 
GEORGE  BOND  printed  his  paper  on  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  rings  of  Saturn  shortly  before  Professor 


36  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

PEIRCE  published  another  memoir  on  the  same 
subject.  So  far  as  can  now  be  known  from  the 
printed  papers  and  manuscripts,  the  priority  rests, 
and  should  rest,  with  the  younger  BOND.  The  two 
investigators  approached  the  subject  from  different 
sides;  each  made  a  step  forward  in  showing  that 
the  rings  of  Saturn  could  not  possibly  be  continu- 
ous solids;  and  both  announced  the  (erroneous) 
conclusion  that  they  were  fluid.  The  relations  of 
Professor  PEIRCE  with  GEORGE  BOND  (not  with  his 
father)  became  somewhat  strained,  and  he  gave 
something  of  his  support  to  covert  reflections  against 
the  observatory,  which  began  to  appear  about  this 
time.  Directly  after  the  death  of  the  elder  BOND  he 
went  to  the  observatory  to  announce  to  his  son  that 
he  was  himself  a  candidate  for  the  vacant  director- 
ship. He  was  not  elected  to  it,  and  became  an 
open  enemy.  With  all  his  great  qualities,  Profes- 
sor PEIRCE  was  hot-tempered  and  hasty,  and  could 
not  be  quite  just  and  fair  in  his  estimate  of  BOND'S 
work.  In  particular,  the  fine  memoir  on  the  comet 
of  DONATI  excited  his  angry  criticism.  In  Chapter 
V  of  this  book  I  have  tried  to  give  an  account  of 
the  immense  services  of  PEIRCE  to  American  science. 
It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  it  was  not  possible 
for  the  little  group  of  astronomers  in  Cambridge 
to  work  in  entire  harmony.  Each  one  of  the  group 
had  qualities  of  genius  or  talent  not  possessed  by 


William  Cranch  Bond  37 

the  others,  and  their  cooperation  would  have  pro- 
duced results  of  even  higher  value  than  those 
attained  separately  —  for  at  the  end  they  were 
broken  up  into  as  many  separate  groups  as  there 
were  individuals. 

The  following  letter  may  find  a  place  here.  It 
is  not  possible  to  understand  the  circumstances  of 
the  lives  of  the  BONDS  without  some  knowledge  of 
their  personal  relations  with  men  of  their  own  pro- 
fession. Nothing  more  will  be  given  in  this  book 
than  what  seems  to  be  necessary  and  just — just 
not  only  to  the  BONDS  but  to  all  concerned.  Griev- 
ances now  nearly  half  a  century  old  may  be  allowed 
to  slumber  after  the  briefest  allusion  to  them. 

LETTER  FROM  WILLIAM   BOND  TO   HON.  WILLIAM 
MITCHELL. 

HARVARD  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY, 

CAMBRIDGE,  1858,  September  22d. 
My  Dear  Friend:  — 

I  thank  you  for  your  kind  and  encouraging 
letter  and  for  the  copies  of  your  report  on  the  obser- 
vatory. This  printing  of  our  reports,  I  am  inclined 
to  think,  will  be  of  advantage  to  the  observatory, 
more  particularly  if  they  should  enter  into  details 
of  what  has  been  accomplished  in  its  appropriate 
pursuits.  The  distribution  of  such  reports  would 
often  tend  to  arrest  prejudicial  influences  arising 
from  a  misunderstanding  of  the  exact  nature  of 
our  occupation,  and  misrepresentations,  such,  for 
example,  as  may  be  found  in  Dr.  B.  A.  GOULD'S 
report  to  Lieutenant  GILLISS  on  the  observations 


82683 


38  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

made  during  the  United  States  Astronomical  Expe- 
dition to  Chili  for  the  purpose  of  determining  the 
amount  of  solar  parallax,  and  to  which  we  contrib- 
uted. Doctor  GOULD  .  .  .  speaks  in  a  very  dis- 
paraging manner  of  our  observations.  In  refer- 
ence to  the  Cambridge  observations  he  says,  page 
Ixxi,  "  Observations  of  right-ascension  are  utterly 
without  avail  for  our  purpose";  and  again,  at  page 
clvi,  with  the  same  reference,  he  says:  "Right- 
ascension  observations  not  only  have  no  relation 
to  the  problem  before  us,  but  are  utterly  incapable, 
under  any  circumstances,  of  furnishing  a  trust- 
worthy value  for  parallax."  Previous  to  penning 
these  remarks  Doctor  GOULD  had  been  informed  of 
the  series  of  differential  observations  which  had 
been  made  at  this  observatory  on  the  planet  Mars, 
east  and  west  of  the  meridian,  near  the  opposition 
in  1849-50,  which  have  since  been  reduced  and  have 
given  consistent  and  satisfactory  results  [for  the 
parallax],  and  proved  that  this  method  is  the  best, 
all  things  considered,  that  has  ever  been  practiced. 
Of  this  we  feel  perfectly  assured,  and  in  the  last 
number  of  the  Royal  Astronomical  Society's  Notices, 
Mr.  AIRY  [the  Astronomer  Royal]  strongly  recom- 
mends this  method  to  the  attention  of  astrono- 
mers as  the  best  hitherto  devised,  and  has  had  a 
list  of  stars  proper  for  observing  with  Mars  pre- 
pared for  the  next  opposition  of  ]860,  which  will 
be  just  ten  3rears  after  us.  ...  Again,  in  his 
report  to  the  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  Survey, 
speaking  of  our  spring-governor  [chronograph],  he 
says,  that  "  since  Mr.  BOND  has  introduced  the  German 
principle  of  regulation,  the  machine  works  perfectly." 
Now  the  fact  is,  there  is  not,  and  never  has  been, 
anything  introduced  into  the  spring-governor  bear- 
ing the  least  analogy  to  the  German  principle  of 
regulation  of  rotatory  motion.  The  same  course 
has  been  pursued  by  Doctor  GOULD  in  regard  to 
our  zone  observations  and  the  photography  of  stars. 


William  Cranch  Bond  39 

Now  if  our  reports  were  made  out  a  little  more 
in  detail,  printed  and  circulated,!  think  these  mis- 
representations would  hardly  be  ventured  upon. 

The  credit  for  the  invention  of  a  thoroughly 
satisfactory  chronograph  was  assigned  to  MITCHEL, 
and  not  to  BOND  as  it  should  have  been,  at  various 
scientific  meetings,  by  those  who  had  every  reason 
to  know  better;  and  the  credit  for  laying  the  foun- 
dations of  astronomical  photography  is  given  to 
others  than  the  BONDS,  as  it  should  not  have  been, 
in  a  biography  published  so  late  as  1895  (Biograph- 
ical Memoirs  of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences, 
Vol.  Ill,  page  439,  1895).  It  would  seem  that  the 
pursuit  of  abstract  scientific  truth  should  foster 
magnanimity,  a  love  of  justice,  a  moral  elevation  — 
but  apparently,  it  does  not  alwaj^s  do  so.  Astron- 
omers may  take  some  comfort,  however,  in  the  fact 
that  the  poets  are  no  better!  Every  one  recollects 
VICTOR  HUGO'S  early  review  of  ALFRED  DE  VIGNY'S 
Eloa,  where  the  poem  is  praised  to  the  skies;  and 
HUGO'S  later  revision  of  the  review,  after  their 
quarrel,  where  the  name  of  JOHN  MILTON  is  substi- 
tuted for  that  of  DE  VIGNY,  and  where  Paradise 
Lost  takes  the  place  of  Eloa,  but  everything  else 
remains  unchanged ! 

Astronomers  will  be  interested  in  little  hints 
with  regard  to  the  equipment  and  work  of  various 
European  observatories  which  are  to  be  found 


40  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

throughout  the  first  volume  of  the  Annals,  espe- 
cially in  a  memorandum  by  the  Astronomer  Royal, 
on  p.  xcvii;  but  they  need  only  a  reference  here. 
The  discovery  of  a  new  satellite  to  Saturn,  of  its 
dusky  ring,  the  chronometric  expeditions  between 
Europe  and  America  in  the  years  1849-55,  are 
spoken  of  elsewhere.  In  1852  the  longitude  of 
Halifax  was  determined,  at  the  expense  of  the 
Coast  Survey,  under  the  direction  of  WILLIAM 
BOND.  And  in  the  same  year  the  chronographic 
method  was  introduced  at  the  Royal  Observatory, 
Greenwich.  BOND'S  chronograph  had  received  a 
gold  medal  at  the  Crystal  Palace  Exposition  of 
1851. 

The  scientific  work  of  WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND 
is  spoken  of  with  some  detail  in  Chapter  V.  In 
estimating  his  place  among  scientific  men  it  is 
necessary  to  take  into  account  the  times  in  which 
he  lived  and  the  circumstances  which  surrounded 
him.  He  was  born  in  the  first  year  of  the 
French  Revolution;  he  was  absolutely  self-taught; 
practically  no  astronomical  work  was  done  in 
America  before  1838.  When  Admiral  WILKES  was 
seeking  for  coadjutors  to  prosecute  observations  in 
America,  during  the  absence  of  his  exploring  expe- 
dition, he  was  indeed  fortunate  in  finding  two  such 
assistants  as  BOND  and  GILLISS.  Their  assiduity 
was  beyond  praise,  and  it  led  each  of  them  to 


William  C  ranch  Bond  41 

important  duties.  BOND  became  the  founder  and 
Director  of  the  Observatory  of  Harvard  College, 
while  GILLISS  is  the  father  of  the  United  States 
Naval  Observatory  at  Washington,  as  well  as  of 
that  of  Santiago  cle  Chile,  the  oldest  observatory  in 
South  America. 

Cambridge,  though  the  seat  of  the  most  ancient 
university  in  America,  was  but  a  village  in  1839. 
The  college  could  offer  no  salary  to  BOND,  but  only 
the  distinction  of  a  title,*  and  the  occupancy  of  the 
"Dana  House,"  in  which  his  first  observatory  was 
established.  The  last  observation  in  Dorchester 
was  made  on  December  25,  1839.  The  first  at  Cam- 
bridge is  dated  December  31.  His  work  there,  as 
elsewhere,  was  well  and  faithfully  done,  and  it  led 
the  college  authorities  to  employ  him  as  the  astrono- 
mer for  the  splendid  college  observatory,  which 
was  opened  for  work  in  1847.  At  that  time  the 
two  largest  equatorials  in  the  world  were  those  of 
the' Imperial  Russian  Observatory  (Pulkowa),  and 
its  companion  at  Cambridge.  Each  of  these  instru- 
ments has  had  a  long  and  honorable  history.  Their 
work  has  been  very  different.  Who  shall  say  that 
one  has  surpassed  the  other? 

The  first  American  to  be  elected  one  of  the 
fifty  Foreign  Associates  of  the  Royal  Astronomical 
Society  (founded  in  1820)  was  WILLIAM  CRANCH 

*  Astronomical  Observer  to  the  University. 


42  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

BOND,  who  was  chosen  in  1849.  Following  is  a 
complete  list  of  those  elected  from  the  United 
States: — 

1849.  WILLIAM  C.  BOND.  1872.  LEWIS  M.  RUTHERPURD. 

1850.  BENJAMIN  PEIRCE.  CHARLES  A.  YOUNG. 

-  ALEX.  D.  BACHE.  1876.  GEORGE  W.  HILL. 

-  O.  M.  MITCHEL.  1879.  ASAPH  HALL. 

—  SEARS  0.  WALKER.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS. 

1855.   F.  F.  E.  BRUENNOW.  1881.  EDWARD  C.  PICKERING. 

-  MATTHEW  F.  MAURV.  1883.  SAMUEL  P.  LANGLEY. 

-  BENJAMIN  A.  GOULD.  1884.  EDWARD  S.  HOLDEN. 
1863.  GEORGE  P.  BOND.  1889.  SETH  C.  CHANDLER. 
18b6.  TRUMAN  H.  SAFFORD.  1890.  LEWIS  Boss. 

1872.  SIMON  NEWCOMB.  1892.  WILLIAM  L.  ELKIN. 

—  HUBERT  A.  NEWTON.        1894.  ALBERT  A.  MICHELSON. 

Since  the  year  1823  the  Royal  Astronomical 
Society  has  given  a  gold  medal  for  services  to 
science.  The  first  American  to  receive  this  medal 
was  GEORGE  PHILLIPS  BOND.  The  medal  has  been 
awarded  to  the  following  Americans: — 

1865.  GEORGE  P.  BOND.         1887.  GEORGE  W.  HILL. 
1874.  SIMON  NEWCOMB.          1894.  SHERBURNE  W.  BURNHAM. 
1879.  ASAPH  HALL.  1896.  SETH  C.  CHANDLER. 

1883.  BENJAMIN  A.  GOULD.    1897.  EDWARD  E.  BARNARD. 
1886.  EDWARD  C.  PICKERING. 

BOND  received  the  honorary  degree  of  M.  A. 
from  Harvard  College  in  1842,  and  was  a  member 
of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences  in 
Boston,  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society  in 
Philadelphia,  etc.,  and  was  counted  among  the 
corresponding  members  of  the  Institute  of  France, 


William  Cranch  Bond  43 

of  the  Accademia  del  Lincei  in  Rome,  etc.,  and 
was  a  Foreign  Associate  of  the  Royal  Astronomical 
Society  of  London,  as  we  have  seen.  The  follow- 
ing extract  from  the  Proceedings  of  the  American 
Academy  of  February  8,  1859,  gives  the  resolutions 
adopted  after  his  death.  They  were  moved  by 
Professor  PEIRCE. 

Professor   PEIRCE   announced   to  the  Academy 
the  decease  of  the  late  WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND: — 

It  is  my  sad  duty  to  ...  draw  the  attention 
of  the  Academy  to  the  loss  of  another  of  our  most 
eminent  associates,  whose  far-reaching  and  well- 
earned  reputation  has  been  reflected  back  from  the 
older  shore  of  the  Atlantic  in  one  of  the  distin- 
guished honors  so  rarely  conferred  upon  those  of 
American  birth.  WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND,  the 
Director  of  the  Observatory  of  Harvard  College  and 
Phillips  Professor  of  Practical  Astronomy,  has 
ascended  to  the  nearer  study  of  the  stars,  and 
joined  the  constellation  of  the  devout  astronomers 
of  past  ages.  .  .  .  During  seventeen  years  I  have 
beei^Mr.  BOND'S  colleague  in  Harvard  College,  and 
this  interval  comprises  the  whole  period  in  which 
he  had  any  favorable  opportunity  of  astronomical 
observation.  But  his  love  for  the  science  had  been 
shown  long  before  he  came  to  Harvard,  and  even  a 
quarter  of  a  century  earlier  he  made  a  careful  sur- 
vey of  the  Greenwich  astronomy,  at  the  request  of 
Professor  FARRAR,  with  direct  reference  to  the 
superintendence  of  the  erection  of  an  observatory 
at  Cambridge.  This  was  in  the  year  1815,  at  a 
time  when  only  a  small  fraction  of  the  present 
members  of  this  Academy  had  reached  the  age  of 
manhood.  .  .  .  When  Mr.  BOND  returned  from 
England  he  set  up  a  small  observatory  of  his  own, 


44  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

where  he  undertook  the  observation  of  occultations 
and  eclipses.  It  was  here  that  he  developed  one  of 
the  finest  elements  of  genuine  enthusiasm  and 
true  genius,  that  of  accomplishing  much  with 
small  means. 

.  .  .  While  Mr.  BOND  was  devoting  himself  to 
astronomy  with  simple  and  unassuming  zeal,  he 
attracted  the  kind  and  approving  regards  of  men 
whose  approbation  and  friendship  were  worthy  of 
being  secured,  and  who  never  deserted  him.  When 
in  the  year  1842  he  was  drawn  to  Cambridge  by 
the  strong  hand  of  President  QUINCY;  when  the 
cause  of  the  observatory  was  undertaken  by  the 
unflinching  and  irresistible  vigor  of  my  friend, 
Mr.  J.  INGERSOLL  BOWDITCH;  when  even  the  heavens 
came  to  our  assistance,  and  that  wonderful  comet 
of  1843,  appearing  at  midday  in  close  proximit}r  to 
the  sun,  and  seeming  to  send  off  in  a  few  hours  its 
immense  train  of  two  hundred  millions  of  miles  in 
length,  excited  most  opportunely  a  universal  inter- 
est in  celestial  phenomena — it  was  then  apparent 
that  the  affection  for  Mr.  BOND  was  the  chief 
strength  of  the  occasion,  and  to  that  were  we 
mainly  indebted  for  the  successful  attempt  to  ob- 
tain the  unrivaled  equatorial  of  the  university 
and  to  lay  the  foundations  of  the  observatory.  In 
the  history  of  American  science  there  is  no  more 
memorable  epoch.  .  .  . 

The  astronomical  researches  of  Mr.  BOND  while 
at  the  observatory  are  so  recent  that  I  need  only 
allude  to  them.  By  the  habits  of  his  life  his  atten- 
tion was  especially  drawn  toward  the  improvement 
of  the  instrumental  means  of  observation.  Hence 
we  have  from  him,  and  under  his  administration  — 
first,  the  ingenious  observing-chair  of  the  great 
equatorial;  second,  the  spring-governor  .  .  . ;  third, 
the  application  of  photography  to  the  sun,  moon, 
and  stars. 


William  Cranch  Bond  45 

In  his  original  investigations  he  naturally 
restrained  himself  to  those  forms  of  observation 
which  were  fully  within  the  reach  of  his  own 
resources.  He  did  not,  therefore,  seek  those  in- 
quiries which  could  only  be  accomplished  by  long, 
intricate,  and  profound  mathematical  computa- 
tions, but  preferred  those  which  were  merely 
dependent  upon  the  thorough  discipline  of  the 
senses.  He  consequently  availed  himself  less  of 
the  remarkable  capacity  of  his  instrument  for 
delicate  and  refined  measurements  than  of  its 
exquisite  optical  qualities.  But  when  observations 
were  required  which  must  be  passed  over  to  the 
computer,  his  skill  was  not  wanting  to  the  occa- 
sion. Thus,  in  conjunction  with  Major  GRAHAM, 
he  made  that  choice  series  of  observations  from 
which  the  latitude  of  the  observatory  was  deter- 
mined. His  observations,  and  those  made  under 
his  administration,  upon  the  nebulae  of  Orion  and 
Andromeda;  the  interesting  discoveries  as  to  their 
revolution  and  peculiar  configuration;  the  re- 
searches into  the  physical  aspects  of  the  different 
planets,  and  especially  those  upon  the  Saturnian 
system ;  and  the  remarkable  discoveries  of  the 
inner  ring  and  of  the  fluid  constitution  of  the 
rings,  and  of  the  eighth  satellite,  need  only  be 
named.  They  are  known  to  all;  they  have  passed 
into  the  text-books  of  astronomy,  and  our  chil- 
dren's children  will  be  familiar  with  the  name 
of  BOND. 

Permit  me,  sir,  to  embody  my  high  estimation 
of  Mr.  BOND  in  the  following  resolutions:  — 

Resolved,  That  as  fellows  of  the  American  Acad- 
emy of  Arts  and  Sciences  we  are  grateful  for  the 
long  and  valuable  services  of  WILLIAM  CRANCH 
BOND,  who  has  proved  that  an  American  mechanic 
can  accomplish  one  of  the  highest  positions  in 
science,  and  whose  astronomical  discoveries  have 


46  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

illustrated  his  country  and  his  observatory,  and 
stamped  his  own  name  honorably  and  indelibly 
upon  the  records  of  history. 

Resolved,  That  in  the  simplicity  and  sincerity  of 
his  Christian  life,  which,  purifying  his  spiritual 
atmosphere  from  all  influences  which  might  disturb 
observation,  imparted  that  serenity  and  tranquility 
which  charmed  his  friends,  and  was  manifest  in  the 
modesty,  neatness,  and  integrity  of  his  various 
communications  to  the  public,  he  was  an  example 
which  we  grieve  to  have  lost. 


This  chapter  may  fitly  close  with  the  tribute 
paid  to  the  first  Director  of  Harvard  College  Observ- 
atory by  the  official  heads  of  the  University  —  men 
who  had  known  him  long  and  well. 

RESOLUTIONS  OF  THE  CORPORATION  OF  HARVARD 
COLLEGE  ON  THE  DEATH  OF  WILLIAM  CRANCH 
BOND. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  President  and  Fel- 
lows of  Harvard  College,  in  Boston,  February  12, 
1859.  The  President  called  the  attention  of  the 
Board  to  the  death  of  WILLIAM  CRANCH  BOND, 
Director  of  the  Observatory  and  Phillips  Professor 
of  Astronomy,  which  took  place  on  Saturday  even- 
ing, January  29th.  Whereupon  it  was 

Voted,  That  the  Corporation  cannot  record  the 
death  of  Professor  BOND  without  expressing  their 
gratitude  for  his  services  to  the  college  in  building 
up  the  observatory,  which  has  been  under  his  care 
from  the  beginning,  and  in  giving  it  an  honorable 
name  at  home  and  abroad;  their  recognition  of 
his  distinguished  ability  as  a  practical  astronomer, 


William  Cranch  Bond  47 

acquired  amidst  great  difficulties  and  discourage- 
ments; and  their  profound  respect  for  the  excel- 
lence of  his  character  in  all  the  relations  of  life. 

Voted,  That  the  President  be  requested  to  com- 
municate the  preceding  vote  to  the  family  of  Pro- 
fessor BOND,  with  the  assurance  that  they  have  the 
sympathy  of  this  Board  in  their  great  bereavement. 


CHAPTER    II 

GEORGE    PHILLIPS    BOND      1825-1865* 

THE  earlier  years  of  GEORGE  BOND  are  spoken 
of    in    the    notes    which   follow    from    the 
hands  of  his  daughters. 

"We  have  few  reminiscences  of  his  early  child- 
hood, but  I  am  told  that  he  was  peculiarly  gentle 
and  lovable,  a  tractable,  intelligent  pupil,  in  favor 
both  with  teachers  and  playmates.  Sure  I  am 
that  he  never  was  guilty  of  a  mean  or  underhand 
action,  for  he  was  the  very  soul  of  ingenuous  truth. 
A  quiet,  reserved,  self-contained  boy,  he,  no  doubt, 
did  not  easily  make  intimate  friends,  though  he 
won  the  respect  and  the  liking  of  all.  He  was 
keenly  sensitive  when  the  schoolboys  laughed  at 
his  curling  hair  and  called  it  'girlish.'  Though 
naturally  grave  and  quiet,  he  had  a  fine  sense  of 
humor,  and  a  large  share  of  wholesome  fun  and 
frolic.  He  could  never  have  been  a  dull  boy  in 
any  sense  of  the  word.  One  of  his  classmates 
recently  said  of  him:  — 

" '  GEORGE  BOND  showed  in  a  very  remarkable 
manner  as  a  boy  the  same  traits  of  character  which 
distinguished  him  in  manhood.  He  underwent  no 


*  GEORGE   PHILLIPS   BOND: — 

Born  in  Dorchester,  May  20, 1825;  died  in  Cambridge,  Febru- 
ary 17,  1865.  Married,  January  27,  1853,  HARRIET  GARDNER 
HARRIS.  Children:  ELIZABETH  LIDSTONE  BOND;  CATHERINE 
HARRIS  BOND;  HARRIET  DENNY  BOND  (died  in  infancy). 


•   m 

CD     CO 


0 


O    -n 
z    — 

P   O 


George  Phillips  Bond  49 

change,  he  simply  developed.  His  untiring  indus- 
try and  perseverance,  his  fidelity  and  conscientious- 
ness, were  as  apparent  in  boyhood  as  in  maturity.' 

"  He  was  passionately  fond  of  out-of-door  life 
and  sport,  a  true  Englishman  in  his  love  of  hunting 
and  fishing.  Until  his  health  began  to  fail  he 
went  each  year  on  some  shooting  expedition,  either 
to  Maine  for  deer  and  moose,  or  to  the  shores  of 
Cape  Cod  for  wild  duck.  He  was  deeply  interested 
in  ornithology,  and  when  a  lad  had,  for  a  time  at 
least,  contemplated  devoting  his  energies  to  the 
study  of  some  branch  of  natural  history  rather 
than  to  astronomy.  His  elder  brother's  death,  how- 
ever, left  him  no  choice  but  to  take  that  brother's 
place  and  to  become  the  support  and  colaborer  of 
his  father.  It  was  not  without  reluctance  that  he 
resigned  his  own  special  taste  to  turn  his  attention 
exclusively  to  the  stars.  So  long  as  he  lived  it  was 
his  favorite  recreation  to  read  works  on  ornithol- 
ogy, or  to  watch  the  birds  and  note  their  plumage, 
song,  and  habits.  He  knew  the  notes  of  all  our 
native  songsters,  and  the  haunts  and  habits  of  the 
wild  creatures  of  the  fields  and  woods.  He  could 
imitate  so  perfectly  the  notes  of  our  birds  that 
when  he  went  among  them  they  would  gather 
around  him  fearlessly.  He  was  a  delightful  com- 
panion for  an  out-of-door  ramble.  He  noticed 
everything  with  quick,  intelligent  interest,  from 
the  drifting  cloud  to  the  blade  of  grass  at  his  feet, 
observing  each  gentle  curve  and  tender  hue  with 
the  eye  of  an  artist  and  the  loving  sympathy  of 
the  true  poet's  nature.  He  taught  his  children  to 
love  and  care  for  all  the  small,  timid,  helpless  crea- 
tures they  found  in  their  rambles  through  the 
neighboring  fields.  He  encouraged  us  to  watch  by 
the  hour  the  ants  at  their  busy  work;  or  the  birds 
at  their  nest-building;  to  find  on  the  snow  the 
tracks  of  the  field  mouse  and  the  wild  rabbit;  to 


50  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

gather  nuts  for  the  squirrels'  winter  store,  and  to 
listen  in  early  spring  for  the  first  note  of  the  blue- 
bird and  the  robin.  He  was  extremely  fond  of 
flowers,  both  wild  and  cultivated,  and  delighted  in 
the  care  of  an  orchard  of  fruit  trees,  and  in  raising 
berries  and  vegetables,  in  which  he  had  great  success. 
"He  loved  to  be  near  'dear  Mother  Earth,'  as 
he  used  to  say.  Some  of  the  sweetest  memories  of 
my  childhood  are  connected  with  those  happy 
hours  spent  in  the  garden  or  the  fields  with  my 
father,  for  we  were  always  with  him.  Poor  man!  I 
wonder  how  many  moments  he  could  call  his  own, 
free  from  our  devoted  attendance;  but  he  was  nat- 
urally fond  of  children,  and  showed  rare  tact  in 
gaining  their  love  and  confidence.  He  was  a  strict 
disciplinarian,  and  exacted  from  us  instant,  im- 
plicit obedience;  but  I  have  never  known  any 
sympathy  so  tender  and  comforting  as  his.  His 
presence  was  like  sunshine.  All  who  came  into 
close  touch  with  him  must  have  felt  the  winsome 
grace  of  his  familiar  manner  when  he  felt  'at 
home.'  With  his  little  girls  he  was  the  most 
devoted  and  delightful  of  companions,  and  the 
most  charming  of  teachers.  History  and  geogra- 
phy learned  from  him  became  as  interesting  as 
fairy  tales,  but  I  shall  have  to  confess  that  he  did 
not  understand  the  difficulties  of  primary  arithme- 
tic. Most  patiently  he  taught  us  the  names  and 
the  positions  of  many  of  the  stars  and  the  constel- 
lations, and  we  were  always  shown  anything  of 
special  interest  in  the  skies.  When  a  mere  baby, 
not  more  than  three  years  old,  I  can  remember 
being  held  out  of  an  open  window  in  my  father's 
arms — as  far  out  as  he  could  stretch  safely — to  see 
an  eclipse  of  the  moon.  It  was  a  winter's  night, 
and  very  dark  and  cold,  and  I  was  quite  as  much 
alarmed  as  interested  by  the  weird  spectacle,  so  it 
made  an  impression  on  me. 


George  Phillips  Bond  51 

"  When  a  very  young  child  I  recollect  that  my 
father  found  in  a  field  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  the  house  the  nest  of  a  ground  sparrow,  with 
the  young  just  hatched.  Every  day  until  the  birds 
were  fledged  he  spared  time  to  walk  with  me  to  the 
spot  to  feed  the  little  things.  This  is  merely  one 
instance  of  the  characteristic  way  in  which  he 
entered  into  the  feelings  and  interests  of  a  little 
child. 

"  He  was  desirous  that  Sunday  should  be  not 
only  a  day  set  apart  from  others,  but  also  the  hap- 
piest in  the  week.  Accordingly,  after  service  he 
devoted  his  time  chiefly  to  us,  walked  with  us, 
taught  us,  and  told  us  the  most  wonderful  stories. 
He  had  a  rare  gift  for  'making  up'  tales.  With 
leisure  to  write  them  out,  I  believe  he  might  have 
charmed  the  little  ones  as  successfully  as  HANS 
ANDERSEN  has  done. 

"  The  early  death  of  his  wife  was  a  severe  blow 
to  his  sensitive  nature.  She  was  a  woman  of  a 
singularly  sweet,  gentle  disposition,  and  their  short 
married  life  had  been  very  happy,  though  clouded 
by  the  shadow  of  her  fatal  illness.  In  the  course 
of  eleven  months  he  lost  his  youngest  child,  his 
wife,  and  his  father,  and  a  serious  fit  of  illness 
developed  in  himself  the  seeds  of  the  disease  which 
was  to  cut  off  his  own  life  in  a  few  short  years. 
My  mother  died  in  December,  1858. 

"  In  1859,  on  the  death  of  his  father,  he  was 
appointed  director  of  the  observatory,  and  it  was 
only  then  that  the  real  difficulty  of  carrying  on  the 
work  with  the  insufficient  means  at  the  disposal  of 
the  observatory  became  evident.  The  chronometer 
and  clock  business  of  the  firm  of  WILLIAM  BOND  & 
Son  was  prosperous,  and  my  grandfather  had  been 
able  to  supply  any  pressing  need  from  his  own 
purse.  But  my  father  had  no  private  resources  at 
his  own  disposal,  and  the  sums  supplied  him  by 


52  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

the  funds  of  the  institution  or  the  liberality  of  a 
few  Boston  friends,  were  wholly  inadequate  to  meet 
the  wants  of  the  observatory.  Expenses  were  cur- 
tailed as  far  as  possible,  especially  those  of  his  own 
household,  but  the  weight  of  care  and  anxiety 
pressed  more  heavily  with  each  succeeding  year. 
My  father  felt  in  honor  bound  to  keep  the  work  up 
to  the  highest  standard,  while  the  bitter  jealousy 
and  persistent  enmity  of  certain  disappointed  can- 
didates for  the  office  he  held  left  him  no  repose  of 
mind  or  body.  The  outbreak  of  the  war  was  a  ter- 
rible blow  to  the  progress  of  science,  and  for  a  time 
he  was'  almost  hopeless  about  the  condition  of  the 
observatory.  Money  was  scarce,  and  as  none  knew 
what  a  day  might  bring  forth,  donations  toward 
astronomy  were,  of  course,  more  scanty  than  ever. 
Still  there  were  generous  friends  who  gave  un- 
grudgingly. Among  them  I  should  specially 
mention  J.  INGERSOLL  BOWDITCH,  the  loyal,  lib- 
eral-minded friend  of  father  and  son,  Hon.  JOSIAH 
QUINCY,  ROBERT  TREAT  PAINE,  and  a  few  others. 

"  Of  his  own  time,  strength,  and  energy,  my 
father  gave  without  stint.  He  was  willing  to  spend 
and  be  spent  in  a  cause  which  seemed  bound  up 
with  his  honor. 

" '  When  again  and  again  warned  by  friends  that 
fatal  disease  was  approaching — or  rather  advanc- 
ing—  with  hasty  steps,  and  that  the  only  remedy 
was  rest,  his  answer  was,  "  That  is  the  only  remedy 
I  cannot  use;  I  have  a  work  to  do,  and  must  do  it 
if  I  can,  whether  I  am  to  live  or  to  die;"  and  so, 
day  and  night,  as  the  seasons  passed,  he  gave  more 
time  and  labor  to  his  work  than  any  well  man 
should  have  given,  and  more  than  a  sick  man 
could  give  and  live.'* 

"  Those  were  strenuous  times,  and  in  many  a 
household  pinching  economy  became  the  law  of 

*THEOPHILUS  PARSONS. 


George  Phillips  Bond  53 

necessity.  In  few,  however,  could  there  have  been 
more  quiet  self-denial  of  personal  comfort  than 
was  practiced  by  my  father;  and  denial  it  was,  for 
he  liked  luxury,  and  had  a  very  fastidious  taste. 
For  instance,  in  those  stirring  days  of  battle  he  did 
not  take  a  newspaper,  but  waited  to  hear  the  news 
from  his  brother,  who  lived  near,  or  sent  a  messen- 
ger to  read  the  bulletin.  At  one  time  even  his  cup 
of  coffee  was  given  up,  and  all  articles  of  luxury, 
of  comfort,  and  I  fear  often  of  necessity,  were  quietly 
relinquished.  This  rigid  system  of  economy  was, 
in  part,  forced  upon  him  by  actual  straits  of  pov- 
erty, and  in  part  conscientiously  adopted  that  there 
might  be  some  slender  provision  for  the  little  chil- 
dren whom  he  was  so  soon  to  leave  unprotected. 
He  took  a  most  despondent  view  of  the  political 
condition  of  the  country  after  the  beginning  of  the 
war,  and  feared  we  were  on  the  road  to  anarchy, 
or  possibly  to  a  military  despotism.  The  frail  state 
of  his  declining  health  perhaps  had  this  depressing 
effect  upon  his  mind. 

"  No  doubt  his  life  was  shortened  by  the  priva- 
tions and  exposure  forced  upon  him  by  the  state 
of  the  country.  The  observatory  was  not  properly 
heated,  and  the  rooms  he  was  obliged  to  visit  were 
often  bitterly  cold  and  draughty.  Only  a  few 
months  before  his  death,  when  the  committee  was 
informed  that  the  dome  leaked  so  badly  and  was 
so  damp  that  it  was  unsafe  for  him  to  observe  there, 
funds  for  its  repair  could  not  be  raised. 

"  With  all  his  economy,  he  was  ever  generous 
and  open  handed.  He  gave  not  only  out  of  the 
fullness  of  a  kind  heart,  but  as  a  principle  of  life, 
and  was  in  the  habit  of  systematically  laying  aside 
a  certain  portion  of  his  income  for  the  relief  of 
those  less  blessed  than  himself.  He  faithfully  put 
into  practice  a  precept  which  you  may  have  noticed 
in  his  diary:  '  Let  us  not  stop  short  with  merely 


54  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

condemning  a  sordid  spirit,  nor  yet  content  our- 
selves with  being  liberal  up  to  the  standard  the 
world  sets  in  giving,  but  give  till  we  feel  we  are  losers 
by  it.  And  though  we  do  all  this,  we  must  remem- 
ber that  we  may  give  all  our  goods  to  feed  the  poor, 
and  yet  have  no  part  in  the  Kingdom  of  Christ; 
may  talk  and  write,  as  I  do  now,  and  yet  be  with- 
out God  in  the  world.' 

"  My  father  was  fond  of  music,  and  his  nature 
was  quickly  responsive  to  all  beautiful  and  lofty 
impressions.  I  know  how  deeply  he  was  moved  by 
the  solemn  sonorous  music  and  the  stately  ritual 
of  the  English  cathedrals.  I  think  also  he  must 
have  appreciated  fine  poetry,  though  I  have  but 
a  dim  recollection  of  his  quoting  passages  from 
SHAKSPEARE,  MILTON  and  KEATS.  I  distinctly 
remember  his  love  for  the  grand  Hebrew  poetry  of 
the  Bible,  particularly  the  Psalms  and  some  of  the 
Prophesies,  and  I  know  (as  I  have  already  said), 
that  his  love  of  the  beautiful  in  nature  was  as  poeti- 
cal as  artistic.  In  all  nature  he  read  a  message  to 
man;  she  was  for  him  not  simply  the  creation  of 
God,  but  the  manifestation  of  His  very  Being,  the 
outward  expression  of  His  Power  and  Love.  And 
so  all  the  beautiful  things  of  earth  appealed  to  his 
sensitive,  receptive  spirit,  not  merely  as  pleasing  to 
his  sense  of  beauty,  but  as  an  inspiration  to  a 
deeper  search  for  the  hidden  things  of  God's  law, 
a  constant  revelation  of  the  Majesty  and  the  Love 
of  God.  His  was  a  very  reverent  spirit,  full  of 
'the  fear  of  the  Lord,'  dwelling  in  very  close  com- 
munion with  his  Maker.  Indeed,  I  think  that  the 
personal  consciousness  of  the  close  presence  of  God 
grew  to  be  the  very  essence  of  his  daily  life.  When 
you  read  '  Brother  LAWRENCE,'  think  of  my  father. 
He,  too,  walked  as  in  the  very  presence  of  God. 
His  simple  Christian  faith  was  something  stronger 
than  what  we  call  a  conviction.  It  was  his  very 


George  Phillips  Bond  55 

life.  I  do  not  believe  he  had  ever  known  a  doubt; 
his  religion  was  as  much  a  part  of  his  nature  as  the 
breath  he  drew. 

"  He  was  scrupulously  regular  in  his  attendance 
at  church,  and  for  many  years  was  active  in  parish 
affairs;  was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school, 
and  long  held  the  offices  of  junior  and  senior 
warden.  Of  later  years  he  retired  from  active 
work  of  this  kind,  but  was  never  absent  from 
service  so  long  as  his  health  permitted. 

"  My  father  had  an  intense  love  of  color,  apart 
from  form,  and  delighted  in  the  sky  for  its  beauty 
quite  as  much  as  for  the  knowledge  it  held  in  store. 
On  fair  evenings  in  summer  the  whole  family  always 
went  out  of  doors  to  a  'round  stone'  pier  behind 
the  observatory,  and  watched  with  him  the  glory 
of  the  setting  sun  and  the  gathering  of  the  twilight 
gloom.  It  wras  an  hour  of  pure  enjoyment  to  him. 
I  remember  his  talking  to  us  about  the  certainty 
that  color  would  be  permanently  photographed. 
He  had  some  theories  about  it  which  I  was  too 
young  to  understand,  and  I  have  found  no  men- 
tion of  them  among  his  papers.  He  had  an  admi- 
ration, which  in  the  last  days  became  almost  a 
passion,  for  gems.  When  he  was  very  ill,  some  of 
his  wealthy  friends  brought  their  jewels  for  him  to 
look  at7  and  dying  as  he  was,  the  sight  of  their 
flashing  colors  seemed  to  afford  him  exquisite 
pleasure.  Two  or  three  weeks  before  his  death  the 
man  who  supplied  us  with  ice  heard  of  this  fancy, 
and  brought  a  huge  block  cut  from  the  heart  of 
Fresh  Pond.  It  was  as  green  as  an  emerald,  per- 
fectly clear,  and  glittered  in  the  sunshine  with  every 
hue  of  the  rainbow.  Too  weak  to  walk  across  the 
room,  my  poor  father  insisted  upon  being  wrapped 
in  shawls  and  carried  into  an  outer  hall,  where 
it  was  so  cold  that  the  ice  could  not  melt.  He 
sat  there  by  an  open  window  for  a  long  time, 


56  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

absorbed  in  the  beauty  of  the  sparkling  colors  of 
the  block. 

"He  delighted  in  mountain  scenery,  and  in  the 
pure,  dry  air  of  high  altitudes.  Mountain  air 
always  seemed  to  give  him  renewed  vigor  of  body 
and  peace  of  mind.  He  had  remarkable  recupera- 
tive power,  and  his  system  responded  so  readily  to 
a  favorable  environment  that  we  have  always  be- 
lieved that  with  proper  care  in  a  healthy  place  his 
life  might  long  have  been  spared. 

"Before  his  illness  he  traveled  much  among 
the  White  Mountains,  visiting  wild,  unfrequented 
spots.  He  made  maps  of  the  region,  which  until 
recently  were  the  standard  authority  for  all  the 
guidebooks  of  that  section.  The  autumn  before 
his  death  he  passed  several  weeks  in  the  western 
part  of  Maine,  and  feeble  as  he  was,  made  several 
expeditions  to  explore  the  solitudes  of  that  moun- 
tainous region.  He  was  interested  in  calculating 
the  altitudes  of  some  of  the  peaks,  and  when  we 
went  for  drives  he  often  carried  molasses,  to  be 
used  instead  of  quicksilver,  with  some  improvised 
instruments,  for  estimating  the  elevations.  One  of 
the  White  Mountains  is  called  by  his  name.  It  is 
in  a  wild,  solitary  part  of  the  mountains,  seldom 
visited  by  tourists;  but  he  used  to  go  there,  and 
loved  its  seclusion  and  the  sheer,  rugged  precipices 
which  distinguish  it  from  other  peaks  in  that 
group. 

"  My  father  \vas  naturally  very  active  and  ven- 
turesome, and  thoroughly  enjoyed  driving  and  rid- 
ing, mountain  climbing,  brisk  walking,  and  all 
manly  exercises  and  games,  such  as  boxing,  wres- 
tling, football,  and  the  like.  He  was  absolutely 
fearless,  physically  and  morally.  He  always  had 
the  courage  of  his  convictions. 

"  I  suppose  this  fearlessness  made  him  some 
personal  enemies.  Naturally  he  was  gentle  and 


George  Phillips  Bond  57 

peaceable,  but  he  had  a  strong  sense  of  justice,  and 
when  he  felt  it  right  to  speak,  his  few  words  seemed 
to  leave  nothing  unsaid.  With  all  his  self-control 
and  gentleness,  he  could,  on  occasion,  be  extremely 
stern  and  severe;  and  modest  and  unassuming  as 
he  was,  he  yet  had  a  perfectly  just  estimate  of  the 
value  of  his  work  and  of  his  natural  ability.  His 
quiet  modesty  is  so  often  referred  to  that  you  might 
easily  believe  that  he  underrated  his  own  powers, 
but  I  think  such  was  not  the  case.  He  had  true, 
not  false,  humility,  and  knew  that  if  his  life  were 
spared  he  could  do  'something  considerable/  as  he 
expressed  it.  Ostentation  and  boastfulne'ss  were 
very  repugnant  to  him,  offensive  to  his  taste  as 
well  as  to  his  principles. 

"He  devoted  about  an  hour  daily  to  general 
reading.  AYorks  on  natural  history,  travels  and 
history  were  his  favorites,  I  believe.  He  was  par- 
ticularly interested  in  church  history,  probably 
owing  to  his  intimacy  with  Professor  SOPHOCLES, 
who  came  once  or  twice  a  week  to  take  tea  with  us. 
The  two  would  sit  beside  the  blazing  wood  fire  in 
the  dining-room  discussing  a  subject  not  usually 
considered  specially  interesting. 

"  My  father  delighted  in  the  society  of  intelli- 
gent men,  and  his  few  intimate  friends  were  very 
dear  to  him.  He  went  little  into  general  society; 
but  this  was  due  to  the  pressure  of  circumstances 
rather  than  to  lack  of  inclination.  When  abroad 
he  greatly  enjoyed  his  opportunities  of  seeing 
society,  but  at  home  he  was  closely  confined  to  his 
post  and  rarely  left  it.  I  know  he  was  a  delightful 
companion,  thoughtful  and  earnest,  cheerful,  and 
very  original,  with  a  quaint  humor  which  was  the 
more  charming  because  he  usually  seemed  grave. 
He  was  never  dull  or  indifferent,  but  full  of  enthu- 
siasms, and  his  interest  once  fairly  stirred  he  could 
throw  off  his  gravity  and  be  very  impetuous  — 


58  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

always  within  certain  limits.  He  never  lacked 
courtesy,  I  think.  I  am  told  that  he  never  did  a 
rude  act,  and  I  never  heard  him  speak  a  rough 
word  to  any  one.  There  were  those,  however,  who 
did  not  understand  him,  and  felt  a  restraint  in  his 
presence  which  they  resented.  No  doubt  he  seemed 
a  little  aloof  from  the  world,  reserved  and  self- 
contained.  Some  people  prefer  the  din  and  tur- 
moil of  the  thronged  city  to  the  pure,  serene 
silence  of  the  mountain  tops. 

"  In  person  he  was  rather  tall  (a  little  under  six 
feet)  and  slender,  becoming,  of  later  years,  pain- 
fully thin.  His  hair  was  wavy  and  very  dark,  if 
not  black;  his  complexion  pale,  and  his  eyes  of  the 
deepest  blue,  with  a  glowing  spiritual  light  in  them 
that  transfigured  the  worn  face,  lending  it  a  singu- 
lar power  and  beauty  quite  apart  from  mere  regu- 
larity of  feature.* 

"  Toward  the  end  his  physical  suffering  became 
intense,  but  he  bore  it  with  wonderful  fortitude  and 
patience  and  perfect  resignation  to  a  higher  will 
than  his.  He  was  most  anxious  to  live  to  com- 
plete his  work  on  the  nebula  of  Orion,  being  un- 
willing that  it  should  be  published  in  an  unfinished 
form,  without  his  own  supervision.  He  worked  upon 
it  after  he  was  too  feeble  to  hold  a  pen,  until  the 
day  before  his  death.  With  all  his  patience  and 
courage,  despite  this  incentive,  he  longed  for  the 
end.  In  those  last  sad  days,  when  in  weakness 
and  suffering  he  lingered  on  the  threshold  of 
the  next  world,  his  frail  body  seemed  a  prison 
from  which  the  eager  spirit  panted  to  be  set  free. 
The  other  life  was  very  near  to  him.  It  was  not 
the  shadow  of  death  that  fell  upon  him  —  it  was 
the  brightness  of  approaching  light. 

"Remembering  my  father  in  those  last  years 
of  his  life,  these  words  of  Canon  LIDDON  seem  to 

*  There  are  no  portraits  of  GEORGE  BOND. 


George  Phillips  Bond  59 

describe  the  impression  which  his  person  and  char- 
acter have  left  upon  my  memory: — 

" '  It  is  said  that  the  Roman  conquerors  carried 
in  their  faces  the  secret  of  the  triumphs  of  an  im- 
perial people.  Much  more  do  sincere  Christians 
walk  the  earth  with  the  mien  and  bearing  of  a  race 
of  immortals;  although  the  rays  of  spiritual  majesty 
that  stream  forth  from  the  burning  spirit  within 
often  do  but  illumine  the  weakness  of  the  body 
which  yet  encases  it.  Of  such  it  is  literally  true 
that,  whether  they  live,  they  live  unto  the  Lord, — 
or  whether  they  die,  they  die  unto  the  Lord.'" 

—  E.  L.  B. 


"  Looking  back  upon  the  days  of  our  childhood, 
the  strongest  impression  that  I  have  of  my  father 
is  of  one  whose  faith,  whose  love  of  God,  was  the 
ruling  power  of  life.  I  think,  children  as  we 
were,  we  realized  that  he  walked  as  in  God's  pres- 
ence, and  that  his  life  was  a  constant  effort  to  do 
God  service,  whether  in  his  work  or  in  the  harder 
task  of  bearing  patiently,  without  complaint,  long 
years  of  illness  and  suffering. 

"He  must  often  have  talked  to  us,  his  children 
(far  oftener  than  I  now  remember),  of  the  faith  and 
love  that  were  the  mainsprings  of  his  life;  but 
though  I  cannot  recall  his  very  words,  I  still 
remember,  as  if  it  were  yesterday,  the  fervor  and 
conviction  with  which  he  spoke.  His  faith  was 
more  real  to  him  than  his  life. 

"  Perhaps  it  was  because  he  felt  and  saw  God  in 
everything  that  my  father's  love  of  the  beautiful 
was  so  intense,  amounting  almost  to  a  passion. 
The  wonders  of  the  starry  heavens;  clouds  piled  in 
snowy  masses  against  the  deep  blue  sky;  snow- 
capped mountains,  pink  in  the  last  rays  of  the  set- 
ting sun  —  these  called  from  him  such  expressions 


60  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

of  joy  and  wonder  that  I  can  remember  now  how 
he  stirred  in  us  also  enthusiasm  and  awe.  We  were 
seldom  in  his  presence  at  the  time  of  sunset  that  he 
did  not  point  out  to  us  the  beauty  of  the  sight,  and 
I  remember  how  he  tried  to  make  me  feel  the  gran- 
deur of  a  thundershower  as  on  a  summer  afternoon 
we  watched  one  gathering  in  the  west. 

"  I  think  he  was  always  trying  to  make  us  see  a 
deeper  meaning  in  all  around  us,  and  when  we 
brought  our  childish  treasures  to  him  to  examine  we 
were  sure  that  not  only  would  he  appreciate  them, 
but  that  he  would  tell  us  wonderful  things  about 
them,  and  send  us  away  feeling  that  they  were 
treasures  indeed.  A  pretty  pebble,  or  a  little  plant, 
became  a  wonderful  thing  to  us  after  our  father  had 
examined  it  with  us  and  talked  to  us  about  it. 

"  The  happiest  hours  of  our  childhood  were  when 
our  father  played  with  us  or  told  us  stories.  He  had 
a  most  remarkable  gift  for  telling  original  stories. 
Thrilling  and  wonderful,  sometimes  heartrending, 
we  found  them,  and  the  very  best  ones  he  always 
told  on  Sundays. 

"  He  must  have  taken  his  few  spare  resting  mo- 
ments to  think  of  these  stories  for  his  little  girls. 
The  stories  often  had  a  purpose — a  hidden  mean- 
ing— but  were  so.  attractively  presented  that  they 
did  not  seem  to  us  'tales  with  a  moral,'  usually  so 
distasteful  to  a  child,  but  rather  inspiring  or  touch- 
ing, as  the  case  might  be. 

"Sundays  were  good  days  always  for  us  children, 
for  though  the  church  service,  to  which  father  took 
us  regularly,  was  long  for  little  people,  still  were  we 
not  cheered  by  the  thought  that  in  the  afternoon 
we  should  have  our  very  best  toys,  saved  expressly 
for  Sunday  use,  and  called  'Sunday  playthings;' 
and  would  not  father  tell  us  a  beautiful  story,  and 
find  leisure  to  walk  with  us  about  the  observatory 
grounds,  look  at  our  gardens,  and  perhaps  have  a 
game  of  play  with  us? 


George  Phillips  Bond  61 

"  How  the  weeds  did  grow  in  those  little  gar- 
dens! but  we  were  taught  that  if  we  would  have 
the  pleasure  of  flowers  we  must  have  the  toil  of 
weeding  the  beds  and  training  the  vines.  There 
were  many  moments  when  we  wished  we  did  not 
own  a  garden;  but  looking  back,  I  can  see  the  les- 
sons my  father  tried  to  teach  us  as  we  sowed  the 
seeds  and  dug  in  the  little  flower  beds. 

"  He  always  allowed  us  to  play  in  his  study, 
even  when  he  was  at  work  on  abstruse  calculations, 
but  this  was  with  the  understanding  that  we  did 
not  quarrel.  His  power  of  concentration  was  very 
great,  and  so  long  as  we  were  good  children  we  did 
not  disturb  him,  even  when  playing  or  drawing 
pictures  at  one  end  of  his  large  table.  But  the 
moment  a  discordant  note  was  struck,  little  voices 
raised  in  dispute,  he  had  to  dismiss  us  from  his 
presence.  This  we  felt  such  a  disgrace  that  I  think 
we  reserved  most  of  our  little  differences  to  be 
settled  out  of  doors,  or  in  our  own  private  play- 
room. My  father's  study  I  remember  as  a  room 
very  plainly  furnished,  the  most  noticeable  thing 
in  it  being  a  large  deal  table  in  the  center,  covered 
with  his  papers.  There  he  sat  writing  or  figuring, 
hour  after  hour,  while  we  drew  and  painted,  or 
studied  our  lessons  at  one  corner  of  the  table, 
cleared  for  our  use.  There  were  some  book- 
shelves and  desks  in  the  room,  and  the  necessary 
chairs,  but  no  luxuries,  unless  the  open  soapstone 
stove  could  be  so  considered.  Plenty  of  sunshine 
streamed  in  the  south  windows,  and  even  if  the 
room  was  so  plain  and  bare,  I  shall  always  remem- 
ber it  as  the  most  cheerful  place  in  the  world. 
After  my  sister  grew  old  enough  to  go  to  school,  I 
well  remember  what  a  companion  my  father  was 
to  me;  how  he  let  me  be  in  his  room  while  he 
worked,  and  I  played  or  toiled  over  the  alphabet 
and  very  primary  arithmetic,  and  how  he  allowed 


62  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

me  to  go  with  him  around  the  observatory  when 
he  was  examining  instruments  or  directing  his 
assistants.  In  the  cold  winter  mornings,  too,  I 
spent  the  half  hour  out  of  doors  with  him  while  he 
chopped  wood  for  exercise  before  going  to  his  work. 
Even  as  a  very  sick  man  he  persisted  in  taking 
what  he  considered  the  necessary  amount  of  severe 
and  vigorous  exercise  in  the  open  air.  All  through 
his  life  he  was  very  fond  of  out-of-door  sports — 
riding,  walking,  etc. —  and  he  did  his  best  to  en- 
courage the  same  taste  in  his  children,  often  for 
that  purpose  joining  in  our  games  of  ball  or  tag,  and 
thereby  imparting  very  keen  interest  to  our  play. 

"  Very  generous,  often  to  the  point  of  denying 
himself  real  necessities  that  he  might  give  to 
others,  he  tried  to  teach  us  to  love  to  give  away 
our  few  pennies.  Every  Sunday  morning  he  gave 
to  each  of  us  a  cent;  the  one  who  had  been  the  best 
girl  during  the  week  could  put  hers  away  in  a 
pretty  little  white  box,  with  a  red  rose  on  it;  the 
other  little  girl  put  hers  into  a  basket,  from  which 
she  could  take  it  at  any  time  to  buy  with  it  candy 
or  other  things  dear  to  children.  But  the  penny 
that  went  into  the  white  box  was  'for  the  poor,'  and 
happy  was  the  little  girl  who  had  earned  the  right 
to  place  hers  there. 

"His  life  had  to  be  one  of  great  self-denial, 
and  he  met  it  bravely;  nevertheless,  he  had  a  keen 
sense  of  enjoyment  of  comfort  and  luxuries,  which 
he  tasted  generally  only  in  imagination.  His  ap- 
preciation of  fun  and  wit  was  very  great,  and 
though  often  reserved  and  quiet  in  company,  he 
enjoyed  to  the  full  anything  that  was  bright  and 
lively.  He  loved  to  have  young  people  with  him 
in  his  hours  of  rest  and  relaxation,  and  he  was 
particularly  fond  of  young  men,  over  whom  his 
influence  was  very  great.  I  think  by  his  example, 
and  by  his  inspiring  talks  with  them,  he  helped  to 


George  Phillips  Bond  63 

mould  the  lives  of  more  than  one  of  those  who 
came  in  contact  with  him. 

"  Up  to  the  very  last  of  his  life  he  continued  to 
work,  his  heroic  spirit  and  his  firm  faith  supporting 
him  to  the  end.  His  mental  vigor  remained  unim- 
paired, and  he  continued  at  his  labors  till  the  day 
before  his  death.  Though  suffering  physically, 
his  spirit  rose  triumphant  over  all  ills,  and  he 
passed,  'in  full  assurance  of  faith,'  into  that  nearer 
communion  with  his  Maker  for  which  that  faith 
and  his  life  had  fitted  him."—  C.  H.  B. 


One  of  his  life-long  friends,  Mr.  CHARLES  WIL- 
LIAM FOLSOM,  thus  writes  of  him:  — 

"  My  earliest  recollections  of  GEORGE  BOND  are 
connected  with  the  old  Hopkins  Classical  School, 
of  which  Mr.  JOHN  B.  HENCK,  a  recent  graduate  of 
Harvard  (1840),  was  preceptor.  It  is  possible  that 
I  may  have  gone  to  school  with  GEORGE  before  that, 
but  I  do  not  recollect  it. 

"  GEORGE  BOND  and  myself,  with  one  or  two 
others,  formed,  as  I  might  say,  the  senior  class  of 
the  institution.  We  were  fitting  for  college,  and 
had  the  Greek  reader,  Virgil,  and  Colburn's  Algebra 
as  our  food  for  the  college  requirements.  GEORGE 
and  I  were  very  good  friends,  and  used  to  get  our 
lessons  together;  perhaps  I  helped  him  in  the  Latin 
and  Greek;  while  he  most  certainly  helped  me  in 
the  algebra.  He  impressed  me  then  with  the  same 
qualities  that  he  showed  through  life  —  assiduity, 
modesty,  gentleness,  a  high  sense  of  honor,  and 
a  nameless  charm  combined  of  all  these;  and  an 
underlying  sense  that  in  him  would  be  found  per- 
fect firmness  and  devotion  to  the  right. 

"  We  were  always  excellent  friends,  and  never 
had  a  cloud  on  our  harmony.  His  younger  brother 


64  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

RICHARD  was  more  vivacious.  I  do  not  think  he 
had  any  great  reverence  for  '  seniors '  as  such ;  and 
I  think  he  and  I  had  some  tiffs  on  the  football 
ground,  always,  however,  amicably  adjusted  after- 
wards. He  may  have  had  a  tiff  or  two  also  with  Mr. 
HENCK,  who  was  rather  a  martinet;  but  GEORGE 
never  had  any  tiffs  with  anybody,  scholar  or  mas- 
ter, and  was  very  much  liked  by  all  the  boys,  and 
respected  by  Mr.  HENCK. 

"  Mr.  HENCK  (who  is  still  living,  I  believe)  was 
well  equipped  for  teaching,  having  been  first  scholar 
of  his  class;  he  was  not  exactly  what  you  would 
call  a  lovable  man,  but  he  inspired  respect.  Respect, 
I  would  say,  was  inspired  in  those  days  (no  longer, 
perhaps,  with  the  rattan,  but  certainly)  with  the 
ferule.  I  seem  to  recollect  the  ferule  being  used 
three  or  four  times  in  the  school  during  that  year, 
but  not  oftener.  Mr.  HENCK  was  an  especially 
eminent  mathematician,  which  must  have  made 
GEORGE  very  acceptable  to  him  as  a  scholar. 

"  This  year  of  school  together  lasted  from  August, 
1840,  to  August,  1841,  at  which  time  we  both 
entered  Harvard  College  as  freshmen. 

"  For  the  first  year  we  saw  considerable  of  each 
other,  as  I  was  living  on  Holyoke  street  and  he  at 
the  corner  of  Quincy  street.  Here  I  made  the 
acquaintance  of  EDWARD  BROMFIELD  PHILLIPS, 
whom  GEORGE  had  probably  known  before,  living,  as 
he  did,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street.  PHILLIPS 
was  an  extremely  amiable  fellow,  but  of  a  curiously 
awkward  appearance.  This  made  him  sometimes 
a  little  of  a  butt  with  the  unthinking,  so  I  suppose 
he  may  have  enjoyed  the  company  of  GEORGE  and 
myself.  No  doubt  the  friendship  formed  by  EDWARD 
PHILLIPS  for  GEORGE  BOND  at  this  time  had  a  good 
deal  to  do  with  PHILLIPS'  magnificent  bequest  of  a 
hundred  thousand  dollars  to  the  observatory  not 
many  years  later. 


George  Phillips  Bond  65 

"After  graduation,  of  course,  my  opportunities 
of  seeing  BOND  were  less  frequent,  as  I  was  rarely 
in  Cambridge,  and  he  as  rarely  left  it;  but  I  have 
the  pleasantest  memories  of  my  occasional  visits 
to  his  pleasant  home,  where  I  was  always  wel- 
comed with  the  greatest  hospitality.  Others  were 
more  familiar  than  I  with' the  salient  points  of 
his  career  as  astronomer  and  physicist,  with  his 
sweet  and  unselfish  example  in  church  and 
home;  but  he  will  always  remain  to  my  mind 
one  of  the  finest  combinations  of  character,  both 
gentle  and  noble,  that  I  have  ever  known  or 
known  of." 


Another  college  friend  (Mr.  SAMUEL  F.  COUES) 
writes:  — 

"  My  earliest  recollections  of  my  friend  and 
classmate,  GEORGE  BOND,  are  of  a  quiet,  reserved 
boy,  not  robust  in  health,  though  seldom,  if  ever, 
disqualified  for  his  college  duties.  He  led  a  studi- 
ous, home  life,  and  was  not  conspicuous  in  the 
sports  or  exciting  incidents  of  college  life.  My 
proximity  to  him  (alphabetically)  led  to  an  early 
acquaintance,  formed  in  the  class  room,  and  I 
soon  recognized  his  ability.  He  assisted  me  mate- 
rially in  the  mathematical  department,  and  always 
with  such  kindness  that  I  became  much  attached 
to  him.  He  was  characterized  by  a  peculiar 
sweetness  of  disposition;  his  smile  and  gracious- 
ness  of  manner  I  can  never  forget,  nor  my  indebt- 
edness to  him  for  much  needed  assistance.  He 
was  uniformly  gentle,  courteous  and  affable,  and 
under  a  calm  exterior  there  was  evidence  of 
strength  of  character,  firmness  of  purpose.  He  was 
conspicuously  fond  of  nature,  of  natural  objects. 
We  occasionally  walked  together,  and  our  talk 


66  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

turned  in  that  direction  and  was  apart  from 
affairs  of  college.  He  was  not  a  talker;  but  what 
he  said  was  to  the  point.  He  was  so  modest  and 
unassuming  that  his  character  and  attainments 
were  far  less  generally  appreciated  than  they 
deserved.  His  life  was  largely  within  himself, 
yet  he  was  a  sympathetic  and  warm  friend,  one 
whom  I  never  met  without  pleasure,  and  our 
friendship  was  never  impaired  in  the  least." 


Another  letter  from  a  friend  who  loved  him 
says : — 

"  He  loved  and  was  always  very  proud  of  his 
eldest  brother  WILLIAM,  who  he  always  declared 
had  such  genius,  especially  in  the  line  of  mathe- 
matics and  science,  that  it  would  have  been  better 
for  all  the  others  to  have  died  if  he  had  been  left 
instead.  I  cannot  tell  if  it  was  true  or  not,  for 
WILLIAM  died  when  I  was  only  five  or  six  years 
old,  and  GEORGE  was  so  unaffectedly  modest  that 
his  belief  did  not  necessarily  make  it  the  fact.  WIL- 
LIAM was  certainly  a  most  brilliant  scholar,  and 
the  action  of  the  college  in  asking  to  let  him  be 
buried  in  the  college  lot,  was  intended  to  show  their 
appreciation  of  him.  What  GEORGE  and  WILLIAM 
were  in  mathematics  his  father  was  in  physics  and 
his  brother  RICHARD  in  inventive  genius;  that  is 
to  say,  the  whole  family  was  a  remarkable  one. 

"  GEORGE  was  for  years  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday-school  and  warden  of  Christ  Church.  He 
was  faithful  beyond  words  to  any  and  every  duty, 
and  of  a  deeply  religious  nature,  while  his  intense 
love  of  children  would  make  the  Sunday-school 
an  attractive  field  of  labor,  except  for  the  excessive 
shyness  and  reserve,  which  made  any  public  posi- 
tion a  heavy  burden  to  him." 


George  Phillips  Bond  67 

In  September,  1856,  the  President  of  the  United 
States  (FRANKLIN  PIERCE)  appointed  BOND  to  be 
Chief  Astronomer  of  the  survey  of  the  north- 
west boundary  between  the  United  States  and 
British  Columbia.  The  salary  was  $3000,  with 
expenses  paid.  After  taking  a  few  days  for  con- 
sideration, BOND  declined  the  appointment  on 
October  14th.  From  one  point  of  view  it  may  be 
regretted  that  BOND  did  not  accept  this  very 
honorable  and  important  office.  His  health  would 
probably  have  been  confirmed.  His  duties  would 
have  brought  him  into  personal  relations  with 
men  of  intelligence  and  influence,  who  would 
have  fully  appreciated  his  very  rare  qualities 
and  his  great  ability;  and  his  own  view  of  the 
world  and  affairs  would  have  been  widened. 
On  the  other  hand,  his  father  was  well  on  in 
age,  and  BOND  had  been  his  mainstay  for  many 
years,  and  had,  no  doubt,  the  perfectly  natural 
and  justifiable  desire  to  succeed  him  in  time. 
He  was  devoted  to  his  work,  and  happy  in  it, 
and  a  change  would  seem  to  him  unfortunate. 
Perhaps  if  he  had  accepted  this  flattering  offer, 
we  should  not  now  have  his  splendid  memoir 
on  the  great  comet  of  1858,  one  of  the  most  bril- 
liant of  his  achievements. 

A  charming  picture  of  the  busy,  interested 
and  interesting  life  at  the  observatory  —  on  its 


68  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

human  and  on  its  scientific  side  —  is  given  by 
his  sister-in-law,  Mrs.  RICHARD  BOND,  in  the  letter 
which  follows. 

"  BOSTON,  April  16,  1895. 

" .  .  .  According  to  promise,  I  will  tell  you 
all  I  can  understand  about  the  observations  of  the 
sun  spots.  When  I  was  a  little  girl  I  used  to  spend 
my  August  vacations  at  the  observatory,  and  for 
several  years  in  succession  Professors  W.  C.  and 
G.  P.  BOND  were  engaged  in  taking  observations 
and  drawings  of  the  spots,  etc.,  on  the  sun,  using 
the  five-foot  equatorial  that  was  afterwards  placed 
in  the  west  wing.  The  west  wing  was  not  built  at 
that  time,  and  the  instrument  was  set  up  in  a  little 
house  which  we  children  called  the  '  Roundabout,' 
because,  instead  of  the  dome-shaped  top  alone,  the 
whole  building  revolved  around  a  large  granite 
disk,  upon  which  stood  the  pier  of  the  equatorial. 
The  last  time  I  was  at  the  observatory  the  granite 
block  was  still  there,  southwest  of  the  observatory 
buildings,  but  I  suppose  it  has  been  removed  now 
to  make  place  for  the  group  of  small  buildings 
which  Professor  PICKERING  has  had  put  about 
there. 

"  In  taking  the  observations,  a  wooden  frame, 
which  held  a  sheet  of  paper,  was  fastened,  perhaps 
a  foot  or  more  from  the  eyepiece  of  the  telescope, 
and  so  adjusted  that  the  image  of  the  sun,  to  which 
the  telescope  was  pointed,  should  be  thrown  upon 
the  paper.  The  image  on  the  paper  seemed,  as  I 
remember  it,  as  large  round  as  the  tube  of  the 
equatorial,  i.  e.  several  inches  in  diameter,  and  one 
observer,  with  a  sharp  pencil,  traced  the  spots  as 
they  were  reflected  on  the  paper,  while  the  other 
wrote  down  any  notes  or  observations,  of  time, 
or  peculiar  appearances,  or  explanatory  of  the 


George  Phillips  Bond  69 

drawings,  or  helpful  in  finishing  up  afterwards  the 
sketches  taken,  necessarily,  very  rapidly.  But 
both  of  them,  besides  being  gifted  with  extraordi- 
narily keen  vision,  had  eye  and  hand  and  mind 
so  thoroughly  trained,  that  even  to  children  it  was 
fascinating  to  watch  the  certainty  and  accuracy  of 
every  touch,  their  enthusiasm  and  delight  in  the 
work,  and  the  quick  response  and  recognition  of 
either  to  a  remark  or  suggestion  of  the  other.  They 
never  seemed  disturbed  by  our  presence  (of  course, 
we  knew  enough  not  to  move  or  speak  unless 
spoken  to),  and  they  often  called  us  to  notice  any- 
thing of  special  interest,  such  as  we  could  appre- 
ciate,—  the  size  or  shape  of  some  particular  spot, 
the  shading  of  its  edges,  the  change  of  its  shape  as 
it  approached  the  limb,  etc.,  etc.  It  is  a  wonder  to 
me  in  looking  back,  to  remember  not  only  how 
constantly  we  were  allowed  to  be  with  them,  but 
how  often  they  would  take  pains  to  show  and 
explain  to  us  such  things  as  we  could  understand, 
really  seeming  to  rejoice  at  our  interest  in  them. 
You  can  remember  GEORGE'S  love  of  children,  and 
his  bright,  pleasant  way  with  them.  His  father 
had  the  same.  They  never  seemed  tired  of  having 
us  with  them,  or  impatient  of  our  questions,  or 
vexed  by  any  awkwardness  or  stupidity. 

"  In  later  years,  when  I  was  older,  GEORGE 
often  would  come  down  from  the  dome  to  call 
us  up  to  see  some  interesting  or  beautiful  sight. 
I  can  remember,  among  others,  some  odd  or 
specially  pretty  groupings  of  the  moons  of  Saturn 
and  Jupiter,  Venus  in  the  faintest  crescent,  in 
broad  daylight,  the  sky  of  palest  turquoise  blue, 
and  Venus,  like  a  little  silver  boat,  sailing  in  it. 
They  were  both  remarkable  for  a  kindliness  and 
generosity  which  always  impelled  them  to  share 
their  pleasures.  ...  S.  A.  C.  BOND." 


70  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

What  is  said  by  Mrs.  RICHARD  BOND  precisely 
expresses  my  own  recollections  of  many  visits, 
and  of  the  extreme  kindness  of  the  astronomers 
to  their  young  guests.  I  remember,  as  if  it  were 
yesterday,  seeing  the  brilliant  star  Alpha  Lyrse 
through  the  large  telescope,  and  recall,  if  not  the 
substance,  certainly  the  manner  of  GEORGE  BOND'S 
comments  on  what  I  was  seeing.  Everything 
seemed  quite  intelligible  to  me  because  it  was  so 
intelligibly  and  simply  explained.  This  particu- 
lar visit  must  have  been  previous  to  1860. 

Cambridge  seemed  a  very  learned  place  to  the 
generation  of  boys  to  which  I  belonged.  There 
was,  first  and  most  important  of  all,  the  observa- 
tory; then  the  Botanic  Garden  near  it,  with  its 
wise  and  kind  director,  Doctor  GRAY;  the  Nau- 
tical Almanac  office  was  domiciled  in  a  little 
brick  building  on  the  main  street,  and  we  all  had 
a  speaking  acquaintance,  at  least,  with  some  of 
the  mathematicians;  Admiral  DA  vis's  house  was 
full  of  curiosities  brought  home  from  his  sea 
voyages;  Professor  AGASSIZ'S  back  yard  was  at 
that  time  occupied  by  delightful  turtles,  and 
entrance  was  free  to  all  his  young  friends.  He 
was  very  kind  to  small  boys  who  brought  him 
fossil  ferns,  etc.,  from  their  fathers'  coal  mines,  I 
remember;  and  he  always  walked  around  our 


George  Phillips  Bond  71 

games  of  marbles  on  the  earthen  sidewalks.  My 
recollection  is,  that  the  President  of  the  College 
and  Professor  PEIRCE  did  not  take  this  trouble, 
and  that  we  children  excused  the  lack  of  consid- 
eration on  account  of  their  high  dignity  and  the 
abstraction  which  was  suited  to  a  great  "geome- 
ter"—  a  word  we  had  just  learned. 

The  days  at  the  observatory  passed  one  like 
another.  The  nights  were  full  of  interest  and  of 
achievement.  The  whole  history  of  BOND'S  short 
and  busy  life  is  written  in  the  paragraphs  of  this 
chapter,  and  in  the  text  of  the  memoirs  which  he 
printed.  A  list  of  them  is  given  in  an  appendix, 
and  some  account  of  their  contents  in  Chapter  V. 
He  was  just  launched  in  his  career  when  he  died, 
at  the  age  of  forty  years.  If  his  life  had  continued 
for  a  generation  longer,  it  is  certain  that  the 
quantity  of  his  work  would  have  been  immensely 
greater.  Its  quality  would  not  have  fallen  below 
the  standards  he  had  already  reached.  It  should 
be  mentioned  that  BOND  was  very  anxious  to 
secure  for  Cambridge  the  fine  18J-inch  equatorial 
with  which  CLARK  discovered  the  companion  to 
Sirius  in  1862.  Negotiations  for  the  purpose 
were  in  progress  when  it  was  bought  by  the 
Dearborn  Observatory,  then  at  Chicago.  The 
failure  to  secure  this  fine  instrument  was  a  great 


72  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

disappointment  to  him.  He  visited  Europe  in 
1863  to  report  on  the  cost  of  a  large  telescope 
for  Cambridge. 

BOND  made  two  voyages  to  Europe,  in  1851  and 
1863,  and  extracts  from  the  diaries  which  he  kept 
are  given  in  the  following  chapter. 

No  proper  estimate  of  BOND'S  career  can  be 
formed  that  does  not  take  into  account  the  fact 
that,  during  the  last  third  of  his  life,  he  was 
subject  to  the  unrelenting  enmity  of  two  promi- 
nent American  men  of  science.  They  and  their 
friends  were  able  to  hamper  him  in  many 
material  ways;  and  he  felt  their  hostility  keenly. 

In  these  pages  I  have  omitted  every  line 
referring  to  such  subjects  which  could  be  left  out 
with  justice.  But  it  is  necessary  to  make  this 
passing  reference  to  a  state  of  feeling  which 
existed.  His  nature  was  serious  and  grave,  and 
he  held  to  his  moral  standards  with  a  fidelity 
which  he  perhaps  exacted  too  rigidly  from  others 
whose  standards  were  very  different.  He  was 
absolutely  without  fear,  but  could  be  harassed  by 
small  things.  During  many  months  his  health 
was  failing;  during  the  whole  of  his  career  he 
was  overworked  in  his  science,  and  concerned 
about  pecuniary  cares  for  his  family  and  for  the 
observatory.  It  is  impossible  to  understand  him 


George  Phillips  Bond  73 

as  a  man  without  taking  this  constant  and  irri- 
tating opposition  into  account. 

From  my  perusal  of  his  entire  existing  corre- 
spondence, I  have  gained  the  impression  that  his 
uncompromising  sense  of  truth  and  justice  led 
him,  at  times,  to  be  something  less  than  perfectly 
just  to  others  when  their  natures  were  utterly 
different  from  his  own.  He  had  ample  provoca- 
tion. There  is  not  a  shadow  of  doubt  that  he 
was  perfectly  satisfied  in  his  own  mind  of  the 
entire  justice  of  the  course  of  action  which  he 
consistently  followed.  At  the  beginning  of  his 
service  as  director  he  made  a  manly  and  gener- 
ous effort  to  compose  his  difference  with  PEIRCE,* 
but  failed  in  the  attempt,  through  no  fault  of 
his  own.  In  another  relation  he  rejected  an  oppor- 
tunity of  compromise  which  presented  itself,  and 
there  is  no  question  but  that  he  felt  it  a  plain 
duty  to  do  so,  though  another  man,  in  his  place, 
might  have  done  differently.  The  criticisms  of 
OTTO  STRUVE  on  his  father's  observations  on  the 
Orion  nebula  gave  the  impulse  which  led  to  his 
own  splendid  work  on  the  same  object. 

It  is  necessary  to  say  a  few  words  here  in 
regard  to  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences  and 
of  its  failure  to  include  BOND  in  its  membership. 


''  See  Chapter  IV,  letters  of  March  10  and  March  12,  1859. 


74  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

In  the  year  1863,  on  the  proposal  of  several 
American  men  of  science,  of  whom  AGASSIZ, 
BACHE,  GOULD  and  PEIRCE  were  the  most  active, 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States  incorporated 
the  National  Academy  of  Sciences.  This  body  was 
"  to  consist  of  not  more  than  fifty  "  members,  to 
have  power  to  make  its  own  rules,  and  to  fill 
vacancies  in  the  membership.  The  selection  of 
names  for  the  incorporators  was  made  by  a  few 
persons,  and  BOND  was  not  invited  to  be  one  of 
the  original  fifty.  Following  the  model  of  the 
Paris  Academy  of  Sciences,  the  National  Academy 
organized  sections,  as  follows:* — 

CLASS  OF  MATHEMATICS  AND  PHYSICS. 
SECTION  I  — MATHEMATICS. 

J.  G.  BARNARD,  WILLIAM  CHAUVENET, 

H.  A.  NEWTON,  BENJAMIN  PEIRCE, 

THEODORE  STRONG,  JOSEPH  WINLOCK. 

SECTION  III— ASTRONOMY,  GEOGRAPHY  AND 

GEODESY. 

STEPHEN  ALEXANDER,  ALEXIS  CASWELL, 

J.  H.  C.  COFFIN,  CHARLES  H.  DAVIS, 

J.  M.  GILLISS,  BENJAMIN  A.  GOULD, 

ARNOLD  GUYOT,  LEWIS  M.  RUTHERFORD, 

JOHN  RODGER&. 


*  Annual  of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences  for  1863. 


George  Phillips  Bond  75 

Other  astronomers  and  geodesists  were  placed 
in  other  sections,  as,  Physics — A.  D.  BACHE  and 
W.  H.  C.  BARTLETT;  Mechanics — J.  E.  HILGARD, 
JOSEPH  SAXTON. 

There  is  no  question  whatever  that  BOND'S 
name  should  have  been  included  among  the 
nineteen  names  of  American  astronomers  and 
geodesists  just  enumerated.  His  place  was  in 
Section  III — Astronomy,  Geography  and  Geodesy — 
though  his  contributions  in  mathematics  were 
considerable,  as  compared  to  those  of  some  of  the 
members  of  Section  I.  He  was  still  a  -young 
man  —  thirty-eight  years  of  age  —  but  there  were 
younger  men  than  he  in  the  list.  There  are  cer- 
tainly not  more  than  half  a  dozen  names  among 
the  nineteen  just  mentioned  which  stood  for  any- 
thing like  the  achievement  and  capacity  which 
had  already  been  manifested  by  BOND  at  the  date 
of  the  organization  of  the  academy.  This  is  per- 
fectly patent  to  all  at  the  present  time,  and,  of 
course,  it  was  perfectly  well  known  then  to  the 
director  of  the  chief  observatory  in  the  country 
and  to  the  professor  of  astronomy  in  its  oldest 
university. 

It  was  felt  by  BOND  and  his  friends  that  his 
name  had  been  omitted  through  the  influence  of 
a  very  few  personal  enemies,  and  there  is  no 


76  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

doubt  that  he  was  justified  in  so  thinking.  His 
relations  to  the  Academicians,  as  such,  were  never 
cordial.  He  was  not  a  member  when  he  died  in 
1865,  though  there  is  no  question  whatever  that, 
had  he  lived,  his  colleagues  would  have  selected 
him  for  the  honor  at  an  early  day,  as  they  did 
other  prominent  men  of  science  who  had  been 
passed  over  in  the  first  selection.  He  was  an 
honored  member  of  the  American  Academy  of 
Boston,  a  corresponding  member  of  the  Royal 
Bavarian  Academy  of  Sciences  of  Munich,  a 
Foreign  Associate  of  the  Royal  Astronomical 
Society  of  London,  etc. 

At  its  February  meeting  of  1865  the  Royal 
Astronomical  Society  of  London  formally  awarded 
its  gold  medal  to  BOND  for  his  splendid  memoir 
on  the  great  comet  of  1858,  which  is  published 
in  Volume  III  of  the  Annals  of  the  Harvard  Col- 
lege Observatory,  and  for  his  other  works.  The 
official  notification  of  the  award  reached  Cam- 
bridge a  few  days  after  BOND  had  succumbed  to 
the  wasting  disease  from  which  he  had  suffered 
so  long.*  But  his  friends  in  London  had  pri- 


*  BOND'S  last  observation  was  on  August  24, 1864  —  the  occul- 
tation  of  ft  Scorpii.  From  this  time  until  his  death,  his  whole 
energy  was  given  to  the  preparation  of  his  memoir  on  the 
great  nebula  of  Orion,  which  he  did  not  live  to  finish. 


George  Phillips  Bond  77 

vately  informed  him  some  weeks  previously  that 
the  award  was  to   be  made. 

At  the  request  of  his  daughters,  Professor  HALL, 
for  five  years  an  assistant  in  the  observatory,  has 
written  the  following  paper.  Professor  HALL'S 
memorandum  is  interesting  in  a  double  sense,  as 
it  throws  light  not  only  upon  the  history  of  the 
observatory  under  the  BONDS,  but  upon  his  own 
history  as  well. 


MY    CONNECTION   WITH   THE   HARVARD    OBSERVA- 
TORY AND  THE  BONDS  — 1857-62. 

While  teaching  school  in  Northern  Ohio  in 
1856-57  I  decided  to  undertake  astronomical  studies, 
and  corresponded  with  Professor  W.  C.  BOND  of  the 
Harvard  Observatory,  and  with  Doctor  BRANNON 
of  the  Michigan  University.  From  both  I  received 
kind  letters,  and  Professor  BOND  held  out  the 
inducement  of  a  small  salary  for  assistance  in  his 
observatory.  My  wife  and  I  reached  Cambridge 
in  the  last  part  of  August,  1857.  We  had  a  kind 
reception  from  Professor  W.  C.  BOND.  Professor 
G.  P.  BOND  was  absent  on  a  visit  to  New  Hamp- 
shire. I  was  set  to  work  making  observations  for 
time,  and  was  shown  how  to  use  the  transit  circle, 
to  read  the  chronograph  sheets,  to  work  out  the 
instrumental  constants,  and  to  compare  and  rate 
the  chronometers.  Professor  BOND  was  very  kind 
and  pleasant,  so  that  under  his  guidance  I  made 
good  progress.  I  worked  hard,  and  spent  most  of 
my  time  at  the  observatory.  After  a  month  or  six 


78  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

weeks  Professor  G.  P.  BOND  returned.  He  seemed 
a  little  surprised  to  find  an  assistant  in  the  observ- 
atory, and  doing  so  much  work.  He  had  a  free 
talk  with  me,  and  found  out  that  I  had  a  wife, 
twenty-five  dollars  in  cash,  and  a  salary  of  three 
dollars  a  week.  He  told  me  very  frankly  that  he 
thought  I  had  better  quit  astronomy,  for  he  felt 
sure  I  would  starve.  I  laughed  at  this,  and  told 
him  my  wife  and  I  had  made  up  our  minds  that 
we  were  used  to  sailing  close  to  the  wind,  and  felt 
sure  we  would  pull  through.  He  appeared  satisfied. 
Afterwards  I  worked  a  great  deal  with  him  as  an 
assistant  for  recording  and  reducing  his  obser- 
vations. 

Professor  W.  C.  BOND  was  in  poor  health  when 
I  entered  the  observatory,  and  he  died  early  in 
1859.  He  had  shown  me  how  to  manage  the  transit 
instrument,  the  clock,  chronograph  and  battery, 
and  how  to  handle  and  compare  watches  and  chro- 
nometers so  as  not  to  disturb  their  rates.  I  think 
he  had  not  received  a  special  training  in  astron- 
omy and  mathematics,  and  that  his  knowledge  of 
theoretical  astronomy  was  not  extensive;  but  he 
was  very  skillful  in  the  use  of  instruments,  and 
was  a  careful  and  excellent  observer.  He  was  a 
kind  and  conscientious  Christian  gentleman. 

Professor  GEORGE  P.  BOND  succeeded  his  father 
as  director.  He  was  very  active  during  my  stay 
at  the  observatory  in  making  experiments  and 
observations  in  photographing  the  stars,  in  photo- 
metric observations,  and  in  his  work  on  the  nebula 
of  Orion.  His  work  on  the  Comet  of  DONATI,  in 
1858,  was  a  very  complete  investigation  of  the  phy- 
sical appearances  of  that  great  comet.  I  assisted 
Professor  BOND  in  all  this  work  and  in  the  reduc- 
tions, besides  pushing  on  my  own  studies.  I  have 
a  very  distinct  recollection  of  how  cold  my  feet 


George  Phillips  Bond  79 

were  when  he  was  making  his  winter  observations 
on  Orion.  I  sat  in  the  small  alcove  of  the  great 
dome  behind  a  black  curtain,  and  noted  on  the  chro- 
nometer the  transits  of  stars  when  Professor  BOND 
called  them  out,  and  wrote  down  also  the  readings 
for  declination.  For  some  of  the  brighter  stars 
which  were  observed  on  the  chronograph  I  had  to 
note  the  click  of  the  key,  and  my  record  was  com- 
pared with  that  of  the  chronograph  down  stairs. 
I  became  so  expert  that  the  difference  rarely 
exceeded  a  tenth  of  a  second,  and  for  the  fainter 
stars  the  chronograph  was  not  used.  Sometimes 
I  was  called  to  the  telescope  to  examine  a  very  faint 
star,  or  some  configuration  of  the  nebula.  Profes- 
sor BOND  had  one  of  the  keenest  eyes  I  have  ever 
met  with.  His  work  on  this  great  nebula  forms 
an  epoch  in  its  history. 

His  experiments  in  photography  were  among 
the  earliest  in  what  has  now  become  such  an  impor- 
tant branch  of  astronomy.  Professor  BOND  indulged 
great  hopes  that  photography  would  render  much 
aid  in  the  measurement  of  double  stars  and  clus- 
ters. We  made  and  measured  a  great  number  of 
photographs  of  Mizar  (see  Astronomische  Nachrich- 
ten,  Vols.  47  and  48). 

In  his  photometrical  work,  Professor  BOND  com- 
pared the  light  of  the  sun  and  moon  with  that  of 
the  planets  and  several  stars.  He  was  very  ingeni- 
ous in  his  photometric  methods,  and  in  carrying 
them  out  to  get  results. 

Professor  GEORGE  P.  BOND  had  received,  evi- 
dently, a  much  more  complete  training  than  his 
father.  While  he  had  not  that  familiar  knowledge 
of  mathematical  formulas  which  distinguishes  the 
professional  mathematician,  he  had  what  is  better: 
He  was  thoughtful  and  ingenious  in  his  investiga- 
tions. He  liked  to  study  things  in  their  actual 


80  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

relations,  and  had  the  spirit  of  an  inventor.  His 
style  of  mind  led  him  to  original  work.  He  was 
the  first  to  apply  the  method  of  mechanical  quad- 
ratures directly  to  the  rectangular  equations  of 
motion,  a  method  afterward  discovered  and  elabo- 
rated by  ENCKE.  He  was  among  the  first  to  take 
up  photography  and  carry  it  out  to  practical  results. 
His  ability  has  not,  I  think,  been  sufficiently  recog- 
nized; but  he  was  a  shy  and  reserved  man,  made 
so,  perhaps,  by  the  condition  of  his  health. 

Although  I  was  poor  and  worked  hard,  I  was 
not  sick  a  single  day  during  those  five  years  in 
Cambridge.  They  are  for  me  a  pleasant  remem- 
brance of  hope  and  struggle,  and  I  was  fortunate  in 
having  to  deal  with  two  such  honorable  men  as  the 
BONDS.  ASAPH  HALL. 

WASHINGTON,  1895,  March  20. 


OBITUARY  NOTICE  OF  GEORGE  P.  BOND.* 

"  GEORGE  PHILLIPS  BOND,  the  worthy  successor  of 
his  father,  the  first  director  of  the  Cambridge  Observ- 
atory, died  of  consumption  on  the  17th  of  February 
last,  a  few  months  less  than  forty  years  old.  He 
was  born  at  Dorchester,  on  the  20th  of  May,  1825, 
and  was  graduated  at  Harvard  University  in  the 
summer  of  1845.  He  began  to  make  observations 
as  early  as  the  year  1842,  at  the  temporary  observ- 
atory on  Quincy  street,  where  he  soon  took  the  place 
of  his  deceased  brother,  W.  C.  BOND.  Jr.,  a  young  man 
of  high  promise  as  an  astronomer.  After  gradua- 
tion, and  upon  the  permanent  establishment  of  the 
observatory,  GEORGE  BOND  took  the  post  of  assistant 


*  From  the  Proceeding*  of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts 
and  Sciences,  May  30,  1865. 


George  Phillips  Bond  81 

observer,  which  he  held  until  1859,  when,  upon  the 
death  of  his  lamented  father,  he  was  called  to  suc- 
ceed him  as  director.  Thus  his  whole  life,  even 
from  boyhood,  was  devoted  to  astronomical  labors  in 
connection  with  the  observatory  which  the  BONDS, 
father  and  son,  have  made  illustrious.  Upon  these 
devolved  the  heavy  task  of  organizing  the  new 
establishment,  and  of  carrying  it  on  with  means  in 
slender  proportion  to  its  work.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
the  high  position  which  the  Observatory  took  under 
the  direction  of  the  elder  BOND  was  maintained 
under  the  younger.  To  its  interest,  and  to  scientific 
labors  in  connection  with  his  official  duties,  he  gave 
himself,  from  first  to  last,  with  entire  devotion. 

"The  most  important  of  his  scientific  investiga- 
tions are: — 

"  1.  Those  relating  to  the  mathematical  theory  of 
some  portions  of  astronomy,  especially  his  papers 
on  "  Cometary  Calculations,"  and  the  "Method  of 
Mechanical  Quadratures"  (in  which  he  anticipated 
a  valuable  improvement  afterwards  given  indepen- 
dently by  ENCKE),  and  that  on  the  "Use  of  Equiva- 
lent Factors  in  the  Method  of  Least  Squares."  To 
this  category  belong  in  part  his  investigations  upon 
Saturn's  rings,  which  form  the  first  step  toward  the 
present  state  of  the  problems  connected  with  that 
system. 

"  2.  The  reduction  of  the  observations  made  for 
the  United  States  Coast  Survey  Chronometric  Expe- 
ditions between  Cambridge  and  Liverpool,  effected 
under  his  direction.  Upon  these  depend  the  most 
trustworthy  American  longitudes. 

"  3.  The  observations  of  zones  of  small  stars.  He 
mainly  prepared  the  plan  for  observing  and  reduc- 
ing these  zones,  and  even  graduated  the  mica  scales 
employed  in  them.  He  also  made  many  of  the 
observations  —  most  of  the  published  portion,  and 
a  large  share  of  those  still  in  manuscript. 


82  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

"  4.  The  two  works  on  the  comet  of  DON  ATI  and 
the  nebula  of  Orion  are,  however,  his  most  impor- 
tant contributions  to  astronomical  science.  The 
former  commanded  the  general  admiration  of 
astronomers,  as  a  full  and  faithful  monograph  of 
the  physical  phenomena  of  that  celebrated  comet, 
and  was  crowned  with  the  highest  honors  of  the 
Royal  Astronomical  Society  in  the  recent  award  of 
its  gold  medal.  The  latter  work  —  understood  to 
be  complete  as  to  the  researches,  but  the  exposition 
of  which  his  waning  strength  did  not  permit  him 
to  finish, —  it  is  hoped  may,  in  the  main,  yet  be 
given  to  the  world,  to  vindicate  the  essential  accu- 
racy of  his  father,  and  to  reflect  additional  lustre 
upon  his  own  memory.  The  spirit  and  personal 
characteristics  of  Professor  BOND  may  be  expressed 
in  few  words.  He  was  a  remarkably  patient  and 
industrious,  as  well  as  skillful,  investigator,  and  was 
ever  anxious  that  his  works  should  possess  the  qual- 
ities, now  so  imperatively  demanded,  of  unity  and 
completeness.  That  he  did  so  much  for  science, 
and  did  it  so  well,  during  the  few  years  that  were 
allotted  to  him,  must  have  been  partly  owing  to  an 
extreme  reluctance  to  dissipate  his  powers  by  begin- 
ning new  works  while  old  ones  were  still  unfin- 
ished. Science  to  him  was  not  a  pastime,  but  a 
serious  calling,  to  be  pursued  with  the  utmost  con- 
scientiousness and  singleness  of  purpose.  These 
characteristics  were  strikingly  exemplified  in  the 
latter  months  of  his  life,  in  the  perseverance  and 
earnestness  with  which,  under  great  physical  weak- 
ness and  constant  suffering,  he  continued  to  the 
last  his  work  upon  the  nebula  of  Orion,  dictating 
to  and  directing  his  amanuenses  long  after  the 
strength  to  write  was  gone  from  him.  He  was  ever 
watchful  of  the  interests  of  the  institution  commit- 
ted to  his  charge,  and  strict  in  the  performance  of 
every  duty.  All  who  knew  him  well  can  testify  to 


George  Phillips  Bond  83 

the  great  simplicity,  purity  and  uprightness  of  his 
character.  He  was  deeply  penetrated  with  the 
spirit  of  Christianity,  and  was  a  devout  member  of 
the  Episcopal  Church. 

"  He  visited  Europe  first  in  1851,  and  again  in 
1863.  In  1851  he  observed  the  total  eclipse  of  that 
year  in  Sweden,  and  visited  the  principal  observa- 
tories of  the  North  of  Europe.  In  1863  he  spent  a 
few  months  in  England  and  Germany,  renewing 
personal  intercourse  with  old  friends  and  corre- 
spondents, and  forming  new  ties,  too  soon,  alas!  to 
be  severed." 


Among  the  obituary  notices  of  BOND,  the  follow- 
ing paragraphs  from  the  American  Journal  of  Science 
(written  by  Hon.  WILLIAM  MITCHELL,  chairman  of 
the  Board  of  Visitors,  H.  C.  O.),  are  selected  for 
printing: — 

"  It  is  seldom  that  astronomical  science  has 
received  a  more  severe  blow  than  that  occasioned 
by  the  death  of  GEORGE  PHILLIPS  BOND,  of  Har- 
vard College,  Phillips  Professor  of  Astronomy,  and 
director  of  the  observatory  connected  with  that 
institution.  After  a  lingering  illness  of  more  than 
a  year,  during  which  his  ardor  in  the  study  of  the 
heavens  led  him  oftentimes  to  exposures  entirely 
incompatible  with  the  state  of  his  health,  he  closed 
a  useful  and  unblemished  life  on  the  17th  of  Feb- 
ruary, eight  days  after  his  .compeer,  Captain  GIL- 
LISS. 

"As  an  accurate  and  truthful  observer  of  astro- 
nomical phenomena,  he  was,  without  question, 
unequaled  by  any  one  in  this  country,  and  among 
the  first  in  the  world.  In  his  short  career  he 
contributed  many  valuable  papers  of  original 


84  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

discoveries  and  calculations  to  various  periodicals 
and  institutions  in  this  and  other  countries. 

"  His  greatest  work,  and  that  which  gave  him 
honor  the  world  over,  is  his  account  of  the  Donati 
comet,  which  constitutes  the  third  volume  of  the 
Annals  of  the  observatory.  To  this  the  palm  of 
unrivaled  excellence  has  been  freely  awarded  by 
the  astronomical  observers  of  Europe.  Well  trained 
by  his  lamented  and  distinguished  father,  and 
taking  advantage  of  the  best  telescope  mounted  in 
so  high  a  southern  latitude,  he  explored  with 
searching  scrutiny  the  great  nebula  of  Orion,  a 
work  which  he  pursued  with  untiring  zeal  and 
anxiety  in  his  latter  days;  and  while  we  fear  his 
waning  strength  may  have  left  it  incomplete  in 
form,  we  are  assured,  and  rejoice  in  the  assurance, 
that  abundant  ability  remains  in  the  observatory 
to  prepare  it  for  publication. 

"  We  might  dwell  much  longer  on  his  astronom- 
ical history,  but  the  necessary  brevity  of  this  notice 
requires  that  we  should  turn  to  his  private  life.  It 
is  rare,  indeed,  that  so  many  virtues  are  blended  in 
any  man.  His  innocent,  unpretending  manners, 
his  perfect  absence  of  vanity  or  pretension,  crowned 
with  an  unwavering  Christian  faith  and  deep  sense 
of  religious  obligation,  secured  for  him,  not  the 
mere  respect,  but  the  kindest  regard  of  all  who  had 
the  happiness  of  his  acquaintance." 

The  Board  of  Visitors  to  the  observator}7  made 
its  annual  visitation  on  November  30,  1864,  and 
prepared  its  report  for  signature.  Before  the  report 
was  signed,  BOND  had  died  at  his  post.  In  an 
addendum  to  their  report,  the  Visitors  say  : — 

"  On  the  occasion  of  our  official  visit  in  Novem- 
ber, his  usual  report  was  not  prepared;  the  state  of 


George  Phillips  Bond  85 

his  health  had  rendered  it  impossible.  A  sort 
of  brief  of  what  the  report  was  intended  to  be,  was 
before  him,  when  he  gave  verbally,  and  with  intense 
anxiety,  a  minute  account  of  the  transactions  of 
the  preceding  year.  It  will  always  be  recollected 
by  the  committee  as  a  most  impressive  occasion. 

"  No  possible  doubt  existed  in  the  minds  of  any 
one  of  them  that  he  was  listening  to  the  last  official 
accounts  of  their  inestimable  friend;  and  they  now 
bear  willing  testimony  to  the  ability  and  fidelity 
with  which  he  constantly  performed  all  the  duties 
of  his  office;  enlarging,  strengthening  and  per- 
petuating the  admirable  work  of  his  lamented 
father;  giving  to  the  observatory  a  high  rank  among 
kindred  institutions  in  this  country  and  in  Europe, 
and  contributing,  in  no  trifling  degree,  to  the  eleva- 
tion and  honor  of  Harvard  College.  .  .  .  Although 
it  is  strictly  the  province  of  the  committee  to  speak 
of  Professor  BOND  in  reference  to  his  official  charac- 
ter, they  feel  bound  to  allude  to  his  private  life 
and  moral  worth,  to  those  qualities  of  the  heart 
that  specially  endeared  him  to  all  who  had  the 
happiness  to  know  him.  With  the  name  of  GEORGE 
PHILLIPS  BOND  will  always  be  associated  goodness 
as  well  as  greatness.  During  the  lifetime  of  Profes- 
sor BOND,  your  committee  were  oftentimes  restrained 
in  the  full  expression  of  their  conviction  of  his  great 
usefulness,  lest  it  might  savor  of  adulation;  but 
that  restraint  no  longer  exists,  and  they  can  freely 
say  that  his  short  life  was  an  ornament  to  the  moral, 
and  a  shining  light  to  the  scientific  world." 

At  a  meeting  of  the  wardens  and  vestry  of 
Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  the  following  resolu- 
tions were  unanimously  adopted : — 

WHEREAS,  It  has  pleased  Almighty  God  to  call 
home  the  soul  of  our  beloved  friend  and  associate 


86  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

GEORGE  PHILLIPS  BOND,  late  a  warden  of  this 
parish : — 

Resolved,  That  we,  the  wardens  and  vestry  of 
Christ  Church,  for  ourselves  and  on  behalf  of  the 
fellow-worshipers  of  the  deceased,  desire  to  testify 
our  deep  appreciation  of  his  exceeding  nobleness 
and  purity  of  character,  his  absorbing  and  unself- 
ish devotion  to  duty,  his  unobtrusive  Christian 
humility  and  self-abnegation; 

That  we  recognize  in  the  life  and  labors  of  Pro- 
fessor BOND  an  admirable  union  of  wide  and  accu- 
rate scientific  attainments  with  the  most  absolute 
and  implicit  Christian  faith,  extreme  modesty  and 
ingenuousness  of  disposition,  and  a  prompt  and 
glad  recognition  of  merit  wherever  and  however 
displayed. 


CHAPTER  III 

EXTRACTS   FROM   THE  DIARIES   OF   GEORGE   BOND 
DURING  TWO  VISITS  TO  EUROPE  — 1851  AND  1863 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  DIARY  OF  1851.* 

BRENT,  DEVONSHIRE,  June  2,  1851. 

I  RECEIVED  to-day  a  card  of  invitation  to  visit 
Greenwich  Observatory  with  the  Committee  of 
Examination,  on  the  7th.  Letters  also  arrived 
from  Messrs.  HIND  and  SHEEPSHANKS,  a  pamphlet 
from  Lord  ROSSE,  cards  from  the  American  Minister 
and  Mrs.  RUSSELL  STURGIS,  etc. 

LONDON,  June  4th. 

I  went  to-day,  for  the  second  time,  to  the  great 
exhibition,  with  RICHARD  [BOND].  Anyone  who 
is  not  satisfied  would  better  find  another  world  to 
live  in  than  ours,  where  the  art  of  man  can  go  no 
farther  than  it  has  done  in  the  contents  of  the  Crys- 
tal Palace.  To  examine  the  articles  is  hardly  a 
greater  entertainment  than  to  see  the  vast  interior 
filled  with  people,  not  crowded,  but  walking  about 
in  all  parts.  The  effect  of  the  trees  standing  in  the 


*  At  this  time  BOND  was  twenty-six  years  of  age. 


88  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

inside  of  the  building  is  strikingly  beautiful.  I 
stayed  there  from  10  A.  M.  to  4  P.  M.  A  month  of 
such  days  would  carry  one  pretty  well  through 
with  it.  Be  as  fastidious  as  you  please,  you  may 
pass  by  one  section  after  another  by  the  hour,  heed- 
less of  their  contents,  and  yet  at  the  end  of  that 
time  you  will  be  at  some  place  where  you  ma}7 
revel  in  the  new  and  interesting  scenes  still  sur- 
rounding you, —  different  from,  but  not  less  beau- 
tiful than,  those  you  have  passed.  It  is  the  most 
luxurious  kind  of  sight-seeing  ever  imagined. 
The  Arabian  Nights  are  thrown  far  into  the  shade 
by  the  realities  of  the  Crystal  Palace. 

[LONDON],  June  7th. 

I  went,  yesterday,  to  the  observatory  at  Green- 
wich, and  there  met  Lord  ROSSE,  Professor  QUETE- 
LET,  M.  MATHIEU,  the  Dean  of  "Ely,  J.  C.  ADAMS, 
Mr.  SIMMS,  Mr.  JOHNSON  of  Oxford,  Sir  J.  HER- 
SCHEL,  Mr.  AIRY,  Mr.  MAIN,  Mr.  SHEEPSHANKS,  Mr. 
HIND,  Sir  JOHN  LUBBOCK,  Professor  MILES,  Doctor 
WHEWELL,  Mr.  DAWES  and  Colonel  SABINE.  There 
were  nearly  a  hundred  present.  The  new  zenith 
sector  had  just  been  mounted.  The  wires  are  in 
front  of  the  object  glass,  together  with  the  frame 
which  carries  them,  and  a  prism  to  reflect  the  rays 
to  the  eyepiece.  The  rays  pass  from  an  object  near 
the  zenith,  through  the  object  glass,  are  reflected  at 
half  the  distance  to  the  focus  from  quicksilver, 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  89 

back  through  the  object  glass  to  the  prism  in  front, 
thence  at  right  angles  to  the  e}repiece.  The  transit 
through  the  field  takes  thirty  seconds. 

For  the  application  of  the  electro-magnetic 
method  to  the  new  transit  circle,  the  break  circuit 
key  is  on  the  telescope  close  to  the  eye  end. 

At  the  dinner  about  forty  were  present.  A 
white-bait  dinner — turbot,  salmon,  etc. —  from  six 
to  ten  o'clock.  I  notice  that  the  most  distinguished 
scientific  men  are  bad,  hesitating  speakers,  except, 
perhaps,  Sir  JOHN  HERSCHEL.  Doctor  LLOYD,  Mr. 
AIRY,  Mr.  ADAMS,  etc.,  are  instances. 

PARIS,  June  23,  1851. 

After  French  and  breakfast  I  took  a  cab  for  No.  7 
Rue  St.  Thomas  d'Enfer,  to  call  on  LEVERRIER.  He 
was  at  home,  and  I  sent  my  letter  of  introduction 
by  the  servant.  Presently  I  was  in  the  presence  of 
the  great  savant.  In  appearance  he  is  decidedly 
the  man  I  should  have  wished  to  find  him;  but 
most  unlike  a  Frenchman.  He  has  an  undeniable 
Anglo-Saxon  face,  or  Norman,  rather,  which  he  calls 
himself.  He  is  from  Cherbourg.  He  is  well  made 
and  good  looking,  with  light  hair,  about  thirty 
years  old,  or  less.*  In  the  frankness  of  his  manners, 
in  the  absence  of  all  assumed  dignity,  and  in  other 
points  of  resemblance,  he  is  not  unlike  Mr.  ADAMS. 


*  Born  at  St.  Lo,  March  11,  1811. 


90  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

His  straightforward  way  of  expressing  himself,  and 
absence  of  all  ostentation  render  him  what  I  should 
call  accessible.  The  moment  we  met  my  first 
impression  was  how  much  more  he  is  like  an 
American  or  an  Englishman  than  a  Frenchman. 
He  speaks  English  about  as  well  as  I  speak  French, 
but  we  had  not  much  trouble  in  understanding 
each  other.  He  gave  me  a  ticket  for  entrance  to 
the  National  Assembly,  of  which  he  is  a  member. 
Finding  that  I  had  not  been  to  the  observatory, 
he  proposed  to  take  me  there,  first  giving  me  an 
invitation  to  his  house  on  Wednesday  next  to  meet 
M,  FAYE.  We  went  to  the  observatory  together, 
and  there  met  M.  FAYE  and  M.  VILLARCEAU,  stayed 
there  about  two  hours,  and  then  left  to  go  to  the 
Assembly  with  M.  VILLARCEAU,  thence  to  the  meet- 
ing of  the  celebrated  Academy  of  Sciences.  I  went 
to  the  Institute  later.  The  proceedings  were  admir- 
ably conducted  in  an  appropriate  and  dignified 
manner.  The  hall  where  the  sessions  are  held  is 
wainscoted  with  oak,  and  has  a  fine  oak  floor.  The 
walls  are  ornamented  with  pictures,  busts,  and 
statues  of  distinguished  men.  The  number  of  per- 
sons present  was  perhaps  two  hundred. 

As  M.  LEVERRIER  did  not  reach  the  meeting  till 
it  was  more  than  half  through,  M.  FAYE  presented 
the  daguerreotype  of  the  moon  and  the  engraving 
of  Saturn.  The  announcement  of  the  first  produced 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  91 

a  sensation  —  such  M.  VILLARCEAU  assured  me— 
as  he  had  scarcely  ever  before  witnessed  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Academy.  Soon  after  M.  LEVERRIER 
entered,  and  instead  of  taking  the  highest  seat,  he 
came  and  sat  by  me.  I  am  sure  from  the  pains  he 
took  to  get  there  that  he  intended  it  as  a  compli- 
ment, and  I  certainly  esteem  it  a  very  high  one. 

June  25th. 

At  half  past  eight  last  evening  I  went  to  M.  LEVER- 
RIER'S,  and  there  met  Messrs.  FAYE,  VILLARCEAU 
and  FOUCAULT.  The  latter  is  a  very  small  man. 
He  says  he  derived  the  first  impression  of  his  cele- 
brated experiment  three  or  four  years  ago  on  con- 
sidering the  motion  of  the  centrifugal  pendulum, 
while  engaged  in  attempting  to  obtain  a  regulator 
for  uniform  motion. 

M.  LEVERRIER  took  me  to  his  study,  where  his 
great  calculations  have  all  been  made.  He  showed 
me  his  unpublished  works, —  an  immense  mass  of 
calculations  relative  to  comets;  a  new  theory  of  the 
sun,  carrying  the  perturbations  to  the  thousandth  of 
a  second.  This  theory  has  not  yet  been  compared 
with  observations.  To  do  so  he  has  formed  anew  a 
fundamental  catalogue  of  stars.  He  spoke  of  Nep- 
tune and  of  Professor  PEIRCE.  That  the  remarks  of 
the  latter  have  irritated  him  to  the  last  degree  is 
plainly  evident,  and  much  to  be  regretted.  His 
impressions  of  Professor  PEIRCE'S  position  are,  I 


92  Jfemorial  of  the  Bonds 

infer,  taken  from  the  Sidereal  Messenger,  as  he  con- 
tinually confounds  what  Professor  PEIRCE  has  writ- 
ten with  what  Professor  MITCHEL  has  written, 
always  mentioning  the  two  names  together.  He 
showed  me  all  his  original  computations  for  the 
discovery  of  Neptune,  and  selecting  the  portion 
including  the  discussion  of  the  limits,  he  pointed 
to  it,  saying  that  if  it  had  not  been  for  that  Pro- 
fessors P.  and  M.  (always  together)  would  have  had 
nothing  to  say.  He  took  pencil  and  paper  to  show, 
how  between  the  distances  of  30  and  37,*  there  was 
a  point  where  the  formulae  became  indeterminate, 
yet  that  this  was  an  indeterminateness  of  form 
only,  and  to  illustrate  this  he  assumed  a  term  in 
the  perturbation  to  be  represented  by  ^sin(a«-f6), 
showing  that  development  in  a  series  of  powers  of 
a  to  t~,  or  including  the  terms  of  a"  tz,  avoided  the 
whole  difficulty.  He  then  turned  to  page  159  of 
his  memoir,  and  there  showed  that  he  had  repre- 
sented the  same  thing  there.  Here  he  said  was  the 
error  of  Professors  PEIRCE  and  MITCHEL,  for,  said 
he,  they  had  not  noticed  that  the  form  only  of  the 
perturbation,  and  not  the  perturbation  itself,  passed 
through  infinity.  They  could  not  have  read  his 
memoir,  or  else  they  did  not  understand  it.  His 
language  showed  how  much  his  feelings  were 
excited  while  dwelling  on  this  topic. 

*The  sun's  distance  from  the  earth  =  1. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  93 

The  engraving  of  Saturn  he  is  going  to  have 
copied  on  a  large  sheet  to  take  to  his  lectures  at 
the  Sorbonne,  where  he  is  Professor  of  Theoretical 
and  Practical  Astronomy. 

M.  BIOT  was  very  desirous  of  having  a  plate  of 
Saturn,  which  I  shall  send  at  the  first  opportunity. 
M.  FOUCAULT  first  conceived  the  idea  of  his  experi- 
ment three  or  four  years  ago,  but  though  convinced 
that  there  would  be  a  time  of  rotation,  it  was  not 
till  recently  that  he  recognized  the  effect  of  latitude. 

IPSWICH,  July  3d. 

To-day  I  addressed  the  British  Association  for 
the  Advancement  of  Science,  the  matter  having 
been  arranged  yesterday  by  Mr.  WHEWELL,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Physical  Section,  Mr.  AIRY  and  Colonel 
SABINE.  It  was  very  good  fortune  to  have  the 
honor  of  explaining  the  apparatus  for  observing 
by  electro-magnetism  to  H.  R.  H.  Prince  ALBERT. 
After  I  had  read  what  I  had  intended  for  the  occa- 
sion, the  Prince,  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  WHEWELL, 
came  to  the  apparatus  and  examined  it  with  atten- 
tion. His  questions  were  intelligent,  and  he  seemed 
readily  to  understand  the  design  of  the  invention. 
He  was  desirous  of  knowing  the  process  of  reading 
off  the  results,  and  comprehended  at  once  the  way 
of  effecting  this  by  double  entry. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  Sir  DAVID  BREWSTER 
and  Colonel  REID  advised  strongly  that  [the 


94  Memorial  of  tfie  Bonds 

chronograph]  should  be  placed  in  the  great  exhi- 
bition, and  offered  every  facility  for  getting  it 
there.  We  shall  probably  enter  it,  as  they  all  gave 
out  strong  hints  that  it  would  be  well  received. 
I  exhibited  the  daguerreotypes  of  the  moon. 

LONDON,  July  5,  1851. 

Just  after  I  had  finished  the  explanation  of  the 
spring-governor  [chronograph]  and  had  sat  down 
at  the  table  to  write  an  abstract,  I  was  delighted  to 
meet  Dr.  [ASA]  GRAY,  our  next-door  neighbor  at 
home.  [Dr.  and  Mrs.  GRAY]  are  now  living  at  Kew, 
and  invite  us  to  come  there  on  Wednesday  after- 
noon. Received  invitations  to  go  to  Shrubland  on 
Saturday,  from  Sir  W.  and  Lady  MIDDLETON,  and 
from  Lord  WROTTESLEY,  to  visit  him  at  his  place 
near  Wolverhampton.  To-day  we  had  in  the  same 
car  with  us  the  Duke  of  Argyle.  I  am  satisfied 
that  the  officers  of  the  association  interested  in 
astronomy  have  not  allowed  an  opportunity  to  pass 
of  assisting  us  in  illustrating  the  operation  of  the 
new  method  of  observing.  In  consequence  of  the 
earnest  desire  expressed  by  Sir  DAVID  BREWSTER 
and  Colonel  REID,  who  are  on  the  Committee  of  the 
Great  Exhibition  for  Philosophical  Apparatus,  we 
shall  remove  [the  chronograph]  to  the  Crystal 

Palace  as  soon  as  possible. 

HAMBURG,  July  14th. 

To-day  I  went  to  call  on  M.  RUEMKER,  of  the 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  95 

Hamburg  Observatory,  which  is  connected  with 
the  Navigation  School.  He  is  between  fifty  and 
sixty,  or  sixty  perhaps,*  hesitates  much  in  talking, 
but  understands  English  and  speaks  it  very  well. 
He  was  very  kind,  invited  me  to  his  house,  and, 
indeed,  seemed  very  desirous  of  having  me  go 
there  to  stay.  We  went  over  the  observatory, 
where  I  sawr  a  transit  by  the  former  REPSOLD,  now 
dead,  and  a  transit-circle  by  his  son,  whom  I  saw 
at  work  with  his  dividing  apparatus.  In  the  after- 
noon I  went  to  Altona,  and  saw  Doctor  PETERSEN 
and  the  observaton7. 

SCHUMACHER'S  library  is  on  sale,  5000  volumes, 
said  to  be  in  admirable  condition,  for  3000  rix- 
thalers.  I  must  see  to  this.  Doctor  PETERSEN  tells 
me  of  several  who  are  going  to  Gothenberg,t — AIRY, 
Mr.  CARRINGTON  of  Durham,  and  Professor  AGARDH 
of  Lund.  He  therefore  advises  me  to  go  to  Kalmar 
or  Carlscrona,  where  Professor  OLUFSEN  of  Copen- 
hagen is  going. 

Madame  RUEMKER  is  English,  and  gave  me  much 
information  as  .to  the  personal  history  of  distin- 
guished astronomers.  HANSEN  of  Gotha  is  a  very 
amiable  character,  was  once  a  watchmaker;  BESSEL 
was  thin  in  person,  hollow  cheeks,  etc.,  and  worked 
himself  to  death  ;  D'ARREST  is  very  young ;  BESSEL. 


®  Born  at  Stargard  in  1788. 

t  To  observe  the  total  solar  eclipse  of  1851. 


96  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

looked  fourteen  years  for  comets  and  found  none, 
Doctor  PETERSEN,  fifteen  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
long  period  he  told  me  he  one  night,  after  observ- 
ing Neptune,  passed  his  telescope  over  the  sky  for  a 
minute  and  found  one,  and  soon  after,  in  a  year 
or  two,  two  more.  I  returned  to  the  hotel  at  10 
p.  M.,  REPSOLD  accompanying  me  home. 

Tuesday,  July  15th. 

I  spent  most  of  the  day  in  company  with  M. 
RUEMKER  and  lady,  M.  REPSOLD  and  Doctor  PETER- 
SEN,  and  a  Doctor  or  Professor  JONES,  a  literatus.  Mr. 
RUEMKER  is  one  of  the  real  hard-working  men,  and 
reminds  me  of  father  in  some  of  his  ways.  Doctor 
PETERSEN  I  like  much;  he  seems  so  perfectly 
simple. 

Tuesday,  July  17,  1851. 

I  tried  to  navigate  the  streets  from  the  Dirch- 
strasse  to  the  observatory,  and  at  last  succeeded. 
The  first  night  I  spent  in  Hamburg  I  acquired  the 
erroneous  impression  that  the  sun  set  in  the  east. 
I  cannot  get  rid  of  it,  and  my  only  method  of  find- 
ing my  way  is  to  go  in  the-  wrong  direction,  which 

is  always  right. 

HAMBURG,  July  21,  1851. 

A  party  of  six  or  eight  Englishmen  visited  the 
observatory  accompanied  by  Doctor  PETERSEN. 
Four  of  them,  among  whom  are  Captain  BLACK- 
WOOD  and  Mr.  HUMPHREYS,  propose  to  go  to 
Sweden  to  see  the  eclipse,  to  Carlscrona,  Kalmar, 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  97 

or  Christianstad,  or  in  that  region.  At  7  P.M.  came 
Mr.  HIND  and  Mr.  DAWES,  also  on  their  way  to  Swe- 
den, but  not  decided  as  to  where  to  go.  Wishing, 
however,  to  reach  Christianstad,  or  Kalmar,  and 
thence  the  interior,  they  are  at  the  eleventh  hour. 
I  was  busy  to-day  in  packing,  for  the  telescope 
which  I  take  with  me  in  the  trunk  occupies  more 
than  all  the  spare  room. 

Friday,  August  8th. 

At  about  seven  I  went  on  board  the  transport 
steamer  to  take  us  from  Cronstadt  to  St.  Petersburg. 
A  cold,  comfortless  passage  up  the  Neva  to  the  cus- 
tomhouse pier;  here  we  waited  half  an  hour  for 
our  passports.  But  I  met  Mr.  ROSENCRANTZ  of  the 
observatory  at  Poulkova,  most  kindly  sent  by  M. 
STRUVE  to  conduct  me  directly  to  Poulkova.  This 
was  a  great  relief  to  me,  and  I  cannot  be  too  grate- 
ful for  the  kindness.  ...  A  carriage  was  ready 
for  us  in  the  street,  and  before  noon  I  was  at  the 
observatory.  I  am  truly  grateful  to  M.  STRUVE  and 
his  son  for  the  kindness  they  have  shown  to  me. 
The  former,  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon,  explained 
to  me  the  method  of  using  the  great  prime  vertical 
transit,  his  favorite  instrument.  In  the  evening  I 
observed,  in  company  with  M.  OTTO  STRUVE,  with 
the  great  refractor.  At  that  time  the  atmosphere 
was  not  favorable.  Later  in  the  evening  there  was 
a  decided  improvement,  but  having  been  awake  at 


98  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

3  A.M.,  and   that  almost  without  previous   rest,  I 
was  quite  tired,  and  went  to  my  room. 

POULKOVA,  Sunday,  August  10,  1851. 

I  awoke  very  late  this  morning,  it  being  past 
nine  when  I  got  up.  I  am  pleased  to  see  here  more 
regard  paid  to  the  day  than  is  usual,  I  think,  on 
the  continent.  Most  of  the  family  went  to  church. 
At  dinner  there  was  a  large  family  party.  The 
fruit  and  vegetables  are  supplied  from  the  gardens 
of  the  observatory.  The  raspberries  in  the  garden 
where  I  wras  this  morning  are  the  finest  I  have 
ever  seen. 

POULKOVA,  August  11,  1851. 

In  the  evening  I  observed,  with  M.  OTTO  STRUVE, 
with  the  great  refractor  until  past  midnight.  He 
detected  a  companion  of  /3  Aquilae.  I  am  entirely 
satisfied  with  the  performance  of  the  great  refractor. 

POULKOVA,  August  12,  1851. 

I  witnessed  to-day  the  process  of  level-making, 
which  is  carried  on  in  the  atelier  of  the  observatory 
to  great  perfection. 

In  the  afternoon  I  went  to  the  prime  vertical 
room,  and  saw  M.  STRUVE  make  the  complete  obser- 
vation of  a  passage  of  i  Draconis  east  and  west,  in 
the  four  positions  of  the  instrument.  This  is  one 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  99 

of  the  stars  (three)  employed  in  the  series  now  in 
progress  for  determining  nutation. 

I  saw  i  Draconis  with  the  prime  vertical  instru- 
ment, most  excellently  defined. 

In  the  evening  I  observed  till  midnight,  with 
M.  OTTO  STRUVE,  with  the  great  refractor.  The 
vision  was  not  good,  hut  the  appearance  of  the  stars 
entirely  similar  to  that  in  the  Cambridge  refractor. 
But  I  have  not  yet  had  a  favorable  night.  The 
effect  of  an  unsteady  atmosphere  on  close  double 
stars  is  precisely  as  with  us.  Looked  at  X  Cygni, 
dist.  0".5.  I  could  with  some  difficulty  determine 
its  position  124°.  M.  OTTO  STRUVE  gave  116°,  and 
appeared,  from  greater  experience  in  double  star 
observations,  to  see  it  more  easily,  and  to  observe 
the  measures  of  position  and  distance  much  more 
quickly  than  I.*  By  practice,  he  has  acquired  a 
facility  in  steadying  the  motion  of  the  telescope 
with  his  finger  so  as  not  to  be  so  much  incommoded 
by  the  irregularities  of  the  clock  as  those  less  in 
practice.  The  going  of  the  Munich  clocks,  compared 
with  that  at  the  Liverpool  Observatory,  is  insuffer- 
ably bad.  I  speak  as  well  of  ours  at  Cambridge  as 
of  that  at  Poulkova,  but  the  latter  ifiay  be  scarcely 
as  regular  as  the  one  at  Cambridge.  Both  have 
great  imperfections,  a  Lyrse,  has  the  same  color  of 

*  OTTO  STRUVE'S  place  for  1851-57  is  p=  103°.l;  s  =  0".53. 


100  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

brilliant  blue  or  violet  as  always  seen;  it  must 
belong  to  the  star.  At  present  the  most  difficult 
double  star  is  No.  365  of  O.  STRUVE'S  catalogue,  or 
3130  2,  dist.  0".25. 

There  are,  besides  M.  OTTO  STRUVE,  two  assist- 
ants in  the  dome;  one  soldier-servant  to  turn  the 
dome,  etc.,  and  one  assistant  to  record. 

PULKOVA,  Wednesday,  August  13th. 
This  forenoon  I  was  in  the  apartment  of  M. 
STRUVE,  and  saw  him  go  through  the  process  of 
computing  the  observation  made  yesterday  on 
i  Draconis.  I  have  the  original  computation  to 
take  home  with  me.  The  precision  of  the  results 
is  nothing  short  of  wonderful.  Yet  one  must  be 
convinced  that  tenths  of  a  second  of  arc  take  the 
position  here  that  seconds  have  hitherto  done  else- 
where. 

With  the  prime  vertical  instrument  three  stars 
only  are  observed  in  the  year,  and  one  only  at  a 
time,  according  to  the  season.  Eight  complete 
determinations  of  each  in  a  year  are  considered 
sufficient.  I  ^recorded  with  M.  STRUVE  his  obser- 
vations for  this  day's  passage  of  i  Draconis.  The 
image  of  the  star  I  saw,  as  on  yesterday,  most  per- 
fectly defined  —  power  270  or  300.  I  think  better 
definition  I  never  saw. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  101 

Yesterday  I  heard  from  M.  STRUVE  an  anecdote 
about  Sir  W.  HERSCHEL'S  marriage,  which  this 
memorandum  will  be  sufficient  to  remind  me  of. 
He  has  a  profound  respect,  even  admiration,  for 
the  works  of  Sir  W.  HERSCHEL.  It  delights  me 
also  to  hear  him  speak  of  AIRY  and  Sir  J.  H.,  and 
of  their  private  characters  especially.  AIRY  knows 
many  of  the  English  poets  by  heart  and  SCHILLER 
also.  Neither  BESSEL  nor  HANSEN  received  a  uni- 
versity education,  and  ENCKE  did  not  graduate, 
being  obliged  to  leave  by  reason  of  war.  HANSEN 
is  regarded  as  the  first  theoretical  astronomer  living. 
KNORRE  of  Nicolaief  stands  very  high.  DENT'S 
clocks  are  preferred  at  Poulkova  to  KESSELS',  and 
his  chronometers  are  thought  to  be  much  the  best. 

POULKOVA,  August  14, 1851. 

In  my  morning  walk  after  breakfast  with  M. 
STRUVE  I  was  greatly  interested  in  his  account  of 
the  grand  works  now  in  progress  in  the  observa- 
tory. First,  the  fundamental  catalogue  of  500  stars, 
on  each  twenty-four  observations  by  transit,  six  in 
each  position,  and  then  the  object  [and  eye  ends  of 
the  instrument  are  interchanged].  Then  the  cata- 
logue by  the  meridian  circle,  to  be  [reduced]  differ- 
entially with  the  fundamental  stars.  M.  OTTO 
STRUVE  has  determined  the  constants  of  precession. 

In  the  afternoon  I  went,  as  on  yesterday  and  the 


102  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

day  before,  to  the  prime  vertical  room  with  Profes- 
sor STRUVE  to  observe  the  passage  of  «.  Draconis.  I 
have  gone  through  the  process  of  leveling  to-day, 
and  I  am  assured  by  M.  STRUVE  that  I  am  the  first 
who  has  done  so  since  the  instrument  was  mounted 
in  1839,  twelve  years  ago. 

Early  in  the  evening  I  went  to  the  dome  with 
M.  OTTO  STRUVE,  and  observed  till  3  A.  M.  Besides 
double  star  observations  (one  favorably  situated  we 
agreed  precisely  in),  we  saw  BRORSEN'S  new  comet; 
then  Neptune's  satellite,  on  which  we  made  a  good, 
series  of  observations:  O.  STRUVE,  position  30°, 
distance  14".7 ;  G.  P.  B.,  position  28°,  distance 
15".7,  about,  as  near  as  I  now  remember.  After- 
wards I  proposed  to  look  at  Saturn;  before  leaving 
the  dome  we  did  so.  0.  STRUVE  inspected  it  first, 
and  I  perceived  instantly  that  he  was  seeing  the 
new  ring  for  the  first  time,  and  with  entire  cer- 
tainty. I  suspected  so  before  he  spoke. 

Friday,  August  15,  1851. 

I  went  to  bed  at  p  A.  M.  It  was  already  strong 
twilight.  After  breakfast  M.  STRUVE  and  OTTO 
STRUVE  had  a  long  discussion  on  the  new  appear- 
ances about  the  ring  of  Saturn.  We  went  to  the 
library,  and  all  the  works  bearing  upon  the  subject 
were  referred  to.  Professor  S.  is  decidedly  of  opinion 
that  the  ring  is  in  process  of  change,  the  width 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  103 

increasing,  as  he  said  immediately  on  referring  to 
our  engraving,  compared  with  those  of  Sir  W.  HER- 
SCHEL  and  the  older  astronomers.  Indeed,  the  fact 
seems  beyond  question,  and  is  in  strong  confirma- 
tion of  the  theory  that  they  are  in  a  fluid  state. 
The  manner  in  which  the  discussion  could  be  made 
here  shows  the  value  of  an  observatory  library.  In 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  we  were  in  possession  of  a  great 
mass  of  evidence  on  the  subject. 

M.  STRUVE  says  that  the  strongest  internal  evi- 
dence exists  in  Sir  "W.  HERSCHEL'S  writings  that  he 
had  prosecuted  a  search  for  Neptune,  and  missed  it 
only  because  it  was  too  far  south  in  declination. 
He  himself  at  Dorpat  made  an  examination,  with 
the  same  object  in  mind. 

POULKOVA,  Monday,  August  18th. 

The  history  of  a  collection  of  works  from  Pekin, 
in  China,  now  in  the  Poulkova  Library,  is  quite 
singular.  In  the  time  of  PETER  the  Great,  while 
in  the  midst  of  a  war  with  Sweden,  a  fortress  in  the 
Russian  dominions,  but  on  the  frontier  of  China, 
was  defended  for  two  or  three  years  by  a  few  hun- 
dred Cossacks  against  seventy  thousand  Chinese. 
When  it  capitulated,  the  latter  were  so  struck  with 
admiration  at  the  defense  that  they  spared  the 
lives  of  the  garrison,  on  condition  that  they  should 


104  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

become  a  bodyguard  to  the  Emperor.  To  this  they 
consented,  on  the  condition  that  they  might  have 
sent  from  Russia  a  mission  of  the  Greek  Church. 
The  mission  thus  established  has  continued  down 
to  the  present  time.  Every  year  is  sent  overland 
to  Pekin  a  deputation  from  the  Greek  Church  in 
Russia.  They  have  an  astronomer  attached  to  the 
Embassy.  Two  of  these  have  been  educated  at 
Poulkova.  One  of  them,  when  there,  drew  up  a 
list  of  astronomical  works  transferred  to  the  mis- 
sion from  the  mission  of  the  Jesuits  when  they  were 
expelled.  In  this  list  M.  STRUVE  found  many  rare 
works,  and  the  Minister  of  Public  Instruction,  on 
hearing  this,  ordered  them  to  be  transferred  to 
Poulkova,  where  they  now  are. 

POULKOVA,  August  21,  1851. 

In  the  evening  we  observed  in  the  dome  till 
2  A.M.,  when  it  clouded  suddenly.  I  cannot  decide 
even  now  upon  the  relative  capabilities  of  our 
telescopes  without  a  very  fine  night.  The  difference 
is  certainly  not  great.  My  impression  would  be 
rather  in  favor  of  the  Poulkova.  The  purple  seems 
not  so  evident  in  it.  When  the  image  is  out  of  focus, 
the  image  is  oval. 

BERLIN,  August  28,  1851. 

After  dinner,  at  4:30  P.M.,  I  went  again  to 
Mr.  FAY'S.  He  was  not  at  home.  Then  to  the 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  105 

observatory  before  dusk.  I  met  M.  ENCKE  and  M. 
GALLE.  I  went  over  the  observatory,  and  then 
had  about  an  hour's  talk  with  Professor  ENCKE 
about  his  method  of  computing  an  orbit  of  a 
planet,  which  he  is  about  to  publish  in  the  next 
Jahrbuch.  He  does  not  believe  much  either  in  the 
new  ring  of  Saturn,  or  in  the  new  method  of 
observing  by  the  electro-magnetic  telegraph.  They 
will  work  their  own  way. 

BERLIN,  August  29,  1851. 

I  took  the  daguerreotypes  of  the  moon  and 
Professor  AGASSIZ'S  letter  and  memoir,  and  sent  my 
letter  to  M.  ALEXANDER  VON  HUMBOLDT.  We  were 
introduced  to  the  presence  of  the  great  philosopher. 
The  first  subject  was  the  eclipse.  He  showed  to 
me  the  various  diagrams  sent  to  him,  which  agree 
in  the  main  features  with  what  I  have  already  seen. 
He  is  deeply  interested  in  the  subject.  He  showed 
me  the  daguerreotype  of  the  eclipse  and  the  corona.* 
It  was,  however,  on  a  very  small  scale.  The  corona 
extended  8',  and  was  unequal  in  different  parts  of 
its  circumference.  M.  ENCKE  had  spoken  to  me  of 
it,  and  it  is  regarded  as  of  great  value.  But  it  suf- 
fered in  comparison  with  our  plate,  which  I  after- 
wards presented  to  M.  VON  HUMBOLDT.  He  was 
greatly  delighted  with  it.  I  saw  some  beautiful 
specimens  of  photographs  upon  paper. 


Probably  the  one  by  BUSCH  of  Konigsberg. 


106  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

LEIPSIC,  September  2,  1851. 

I  went  next  to  Doctor  D'ARREST'S.  Such  a 
strange,  old,  out-of-way  place  as  I  found  him  in! 
In  looking  up  his  room  I  roused  a  couple  of  the 
queerest  beings  —  students  of  theology  and  philoso- 
phy, or  something  of  the  kind.  I  found  him  after 
some  little  trouble  —  a  youngish  man  of  thirty 
or  more,*  unassuming,  with  a  remarkable  head, 
both  metaphorically  and  physically.  After  leaving 
him,  having  seen  the  instruments  which  are 
mounted  one  hundred  feet  high  —  a  good  equatorial 
of  six-inch  aperture — I  had  just  time  to  reach  my 
hotel  and  leave  for  the  train  to  Halle.  Doctor 
D'ARREST  kindly  accompanied  me  there  and  to  the 
residence  of  Doctor  ROSENBERGER.  The  latter  is  a 
fanatical  royalist,  and,  notwithstanding  his  fame, 
says  of  himself  that  he  is  not  fitted  for  astronomy. 
He  may  be  fifty  years  old.f 

Returned  to  the  station  to  a  smoke  and  beer 
until  the  time  for  the  train,  when  I  parted  from 
Doctor  D'ARREST,  a  true  German  man  of  science! 
How  much  he  loves  astronomy  for  its  own  sake 
may  be  inferred  from  his  doing  what  he  does  for  a 
salary  of  forty  pounds.  ENCKE  receives  but  thir- 
teen hundred  thalers,  GAUSS  but  one  thousand  thal- 
ers.  Doctor  GOULD,  he  told  mo,  was  probably 
to  take  Doctor  GOLDSCHMIDT'S  place  as  Second 


*  D'ARREST  was  born  1822.  fBorn  1800. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  107 

Professor  of  Astronomy  at  Gbttingen,  GAUSS  being 
the  first. 

GOTHA  to  CASSEL.    Wednesday,  September  3,  1851. 

At  9  A.M.  I  went  about  a  mile  outside  of  the 
town  to  see  Professor  HANSEN.*  A  pleasant  old  gen- 
tleman, as  almost  all  the  great  men  are.  He  showed 
me  his  manuscript  of  the  new  lunar  tables  as  far  as 
completed.  They  will  be  completed  in  two  or  three 
years;  but  he  will  publish  an  ephemeris  for  1852. 
There  are  one  hundred  and  forty  inequalities  from 
the  sun,  and  a  new  one  of  1".3  from  Mars.  He 
thinks  it  possible  that  the  magnetic  influence  of 
the  earth  may  affect  the  moon's  motion  —  a  reflex 
action  of  the  effect  produced  by  the  moon  on  the 
earth's  magnetism.  The  arguments  of  the  tables 
are  in  days,  from  which  a  great  advantage  is  derived 
in  computing  a  number  of  places  at  equal  intervals. 
Each  argument  is  carried  to  0s. 003  of  time,  when 
necessary  to  give  the  inequalities  to  0".01  of  arc,  so 
that  the  sun  shall  be  exact  to  O'M  of  arc.  He 
expects  the  errors  of  the  tables  not  to  exceed  1".0, 
one  second  of  arc.  Observations  used  since  1750, 
down  to  1839,  at  which  period  he  has  STRUVE'S 
Dorpat  observations.  The  tables  will  not  be 
ready  for  the  press  before  the  above-mentioned 
time.  This  form  has  some  resemblance  to  that  of 
CARLINI'S  tables  of  the  sun.  Professor  HANSEN'S 


Born  December  8,  1795. 


108  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

tables  of  the  sun,  he  told  me,  are  now  printing  at 
Copenhagen,  by  the  Royal  Society  of  Sciences  there. 
I  went  into  the  little  observatory,  and  saw  a  little 
contrivance  for  using  only  seventy-two  [divisions] 
upon  the  circle  (for  every  5°),  and  another  arc  of 
5°  used  differentially,  so  that  there  can  the  more 
easily  be  formed  a  table  of  corrections  of  this  arc 
of  5°  for  the  error  of  division. 

GOTTINGEN,  September  4,  1851. 

At  ten  I  went  to  the  observatory  to  see  Professor 
GAUSS.  It  is  a  little  singular  that  the  landlord 
should  not  have  known  where  he  lived.  He  knew 
Doctor  GOLDSCHMIDT,  or  rather  had  known  him.* 
GAUSS  had  just  left  the  house,  to  be  at  home  at  eleven. 
I  walked  half  a  mile  or  more  into  the  country  to 
spend  the  time,  returning  at  eleven.  He  had  not 
come  back.  I  returned  to  my  room,  and  presently 
after  some  one  knocked  at  my  door,  and  in  walked 
Doctor  GOULD,  who,  singularly  enough,  had  arrived 
from  Altona  at  two  in  the  morning,  and  I  at  four. 
Our  rooms  were  almost  opposite  to  each  other.  He 
appears  well,  and  must  have  improved  since  leaving 
home.  At  dinner  there  were  six  Americans,  four 
students,  besides  Doctor  GOULD  and  myself.  After 
dinner  I  repaired  once  more  to  the  observatory, 
and  spent  half  an  hour  in  conversation  with 
GAUSS,  and  gave  him  the  last  daguerreotype  of  the 


Died  February,  1851,  (ct.  44. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  109 

moon  I  bad  left.  It  was  the  best  of  the  first  series. 
He  showed  me  daguerreotypes  of  his  son  and  grand- 
son now  living  in  America  —  in  St.  Louis;  he  has 
another  son  there  also.  He  showed  me  his  library, 
which  can  scarcely  contain  above  700  or  1000  vol- 
umes. He  had  COOPER'S  works;  Merry  Mount,  a 
history  of  the  country  about  Boston  before  its 
settlement,  published  in  1849;  also  FROTHINGHAM'S 
Siege  of  Boston,  with  which  he  seemed  much  taken. 
He  brought  out  also  Doctor  BOWDITCH'S  translation 
of  the  Mecanique  Celeste. 

Shortly  before  leaving  he  spoke  of  Mr.  PEIRCE'S 
position  with  respect  to  what  he  said  about  the  dis- 
covery [of  Neptune]  being  accidental.  He  thought 
that  the  calculations  of  both  ADAMS  and  LEVER- 
RIER  rested  on  an  "  infirm"  basis,  inasmuch  as  the 
assumed  distances  were  so  wide  of  the  truth.  That 
the  discovery  was  accidental,  and  might  have  failed 
because  the  planet  could  have  been  30°  from  the 
predicted  place. 

Staid  up  in  Doctor  GOULD'S  room  until  near  one 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  talking  of  various  subjects. 
He  had  just  seen  GAUSS,  who  had  intimated  to  him 
the  probability  of  his  taking  his  professorship  after 
his  death.  This  is  certainly  no  small  honor,  offered 
as  it  is  to  an  American,  and  by  such  a  man  as 
GAUSS,  while  there  are  so  many  in  Germany  who 


110  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

would  be  glad  of  the  situation,  D'ARREST  among 
others,  whom  Doctor  GOULD  mentioned  as  equally 
fitted  for  it. 

GENKVA,  September  14,  1851. 

I  think  I  must  go  to  Chamounix,  to  try  whether 
it  may  be  possible  to  discern  the  red  flames  on 
the  sun's  disc,  by  occulting  all  but  the  very  edge 
upon  one  of  the  lofty  peaks.  It  seems  to  me  not 
altogether  impossible.  Certainly  an  experiment 
worth  trying,  and  a  new  application  of  the  "Aiguil- 
les." 

GENEVA,  Monday,  September  15, 1851. 

I  went  to  see  Professor  PLANTAMOUR,  and  was 
never  more  puzzled  to  find  my  way  than  to  Hotel 
de  Ville  74.  Found  M.  PLANTAMOUR  a  young  man 
of  thirty,  and  very  good  looking  for  a  savant.  I 
went  over  the  observatory  and  saw  the  meridian 
circle  by  GAMBEY.  The  axis  may  be  too  long, 
otherwise  a  good  instrument  in  appearance.  The 
equatorial  has  circles  of  nearly  two  and  a  half  feet ; 
axis  "supported  above  and  below  the  telescope,  as 
with  the  English  plan.  Telescope  of  four  or  five  feet, 
four-inch  aperture;  object  glass  very  much  injured 
by  efflorescence,  so  that  they  are  about  purchasing  a 
new  one  of  five-inch  aperture  of  MERZ.  M.  PLAN- 
TAMOUR had  commenced  anew  calculations  on 
BIELA'S  Comet,  but  has  discontinued  them,  till  its 
next  appearance. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  111 

BONN,  October  1,  1851. 

I  went  in  search  of  Professor  ARGELANDER,  and 
in  trying  to  find  the  observatory  came  to  the 
Minster  and  stepped  into  it,  but  saw  nothing  to 
detain  me  more  than  a  minute.  With  some  trouble 
I  at  last  found  the  observatory,  which  is  a  large 
and  not  a  bad-looking  building,  recently  erected, 
I  should  think.  I  met  Professor  ARGELANDER,  and 
saw  the  two  principal  instruments — the  transit 
circle  now  used  for  zones  of  stars  to  Declination 
31°  south,  which  are  nearly  complete,  and  the 
transit  used  for  the  northern  zones.  They  can 
observe  three  stars  in  a  minute  at  the  utmost  for  a 
short  time.  On  one  paper  is  recorded  the  right 
ascension,  by  Professor  A.,  and  on  another  the 
declination,  by  the  assistant.  There  are  seven 
columns  on  each  sheet,  and  the  place  where  the 
times  are  entered  thus  denotes  on  which  of  the 
seven  wires  the  transit  was  taken.  The  piers  are 
cased  with  wood,  to  prevent  their  being  affected 
by  changes  of  temperature  from  the  body.  This 
alone  shows  that  Professor  A.  belongs  to  the  Poul- 
kova  school.  Instruments  by  PISTOR  and  MARTINS 
of  Berlin— I  did  not  like  them  so  well  as  REP- 
SOLD'S.  I  saw  Mr.  SCHMIDT,  the  assistant.  Professor 
ARGELANDER  has  no  confidence  in  electro-magnet- 
ism applied  to  observing.  Mr.  S.  praised  very 


112  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

highly  the  daguerreotype  of  the  moon  taken  at 
Kb'nigsberg  at  the  eclipse,  a  copy  of  the  original 
which  I  saw  at  Berlin. 

LONDON  to  CAMBRIDGE.    October  16,  1851. 

I  started  at  7}  A.M.  for  the  Shoreditch  terminus, 
to  take  the  train  for  Cambridge,  as  by  appointment 
with  Professor  CHALLIS.  .  .  . 

The  Times  I  had  bought  at  the  station  con- 
tained the  agreeable  intelligence  that  a  Council- 
medal  had  been  awarded  to  the  spring-governor 
chronograph  at  the  great  exhibition,  and  a  prize- 
medal  to  Mr.  WHIFFLE  for  the  daguerreotype  of 
the  moon.  .  .  . 

I  found  Professor  CHALLIS  at  home,  and  at  his 
lady's  suggestion  and  invitation,  I  took  up  my 
abode  at  his  house.  From  eleven  to  near  two  I 
was  with  Professor  CHALLIS  examining  the  instru- 
ments. A  very  nice  method  is  made  use  of  by  him 
for  observing  the  form  of  the  pivots  of  the  transit, 
applicable  to  all  similar  instruments.  A  brass  end 
piece  may  be  attached  to  the  extremities  of  either 
pivot,  in  which  a  small,  finely  marked  dot  is  made, 
and  as  the  transit  rotates,  the  co-ordinates  of  this 
dot  are  observed  by  a  micrometer  microscope.* 

There  are  two  assistants,  but  the  reductions  can 
with  difficulty  be  brought  up  with  the  observations, 


*This  method  is  now  used  in  the  meridian  circles  of  Stras- 
burg,  Mt.  Hamilton,  etc. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  113 

so  that  Professor  CHALLIS  is  half  inclined  to  give 
up  continuous  meridional  observations  for  awhile 
until  the  printing  is  in  a  good  stage  of  progress. 
Then  to  the  great  equatorial.  The  method  of 
adjusting  the  lenses  of  the  object  glass  upon  each 
other  is  entirely  successful.  The  dome  is  a  good 
example  of  lightness  —  of  thin  zinc  on  iron  braces. 
In  the  afternoon  I  walked  into  the  town  to  the 
lodge  of  the  Master  of  Trinity.  Met  there  Professor 
MILLER  and  Professor  LISTING  of  Gb'ttingen,  and  then 
went  to  the  great  hall  where  the  college  dine.  At 
the  head  of  the  table  Doctor  WHEWELL,  on  his  right 
Lord  CAVENDISH,  next  the  Vice-Master,  Professor 
SEDGWICK,  myself,  Professor  LISTING,  Professor  MIL- 
LER. On  the  left  of  Doctor  WHEWELL,  Lord  FRED- 
ERIC GOWER,  son  of  the  Duke  of  Sutherland,  and 

Lord ,  etc.     At  the  next  table  the  Masters  of 

Arts,  the  Bachelors  of  Arts,  descending  to  under- 
graduates. The  hall  is  a  fine  specimen  of  the  olden 
times,  with  its  noble  oak  roof  and  ceiling.  After 
dinner  the  upper  ten  retired  to  the  apartments  of 
the  Master,  there  remaining  for  an  hour  with  con- 
versation, dessert,  etc.  Then  we  inspected  the  por- 
traits of  NEWTON  and  other  distinguished  men, 
belonging  to  the  fine  suite  of  rooms  assigned  to  the 
Master.  Later  in  the  evening  I  went  again  to  the 
observatory.  A  large  party  there.  Among  them 
the  Provost  of  Eton  College  and  one  or  two 


114  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

university  dignitaries.  Three  noblemen  —  Doctor 
WHEWELL,  Mr.  ADAMS,  etc.,  assembled  for  a  look 
through  the  great  telescope,  the  scene  a  perfect 
counterpart  of  what  we  have  at  home  on  similar 
occasions.  I  had  no  fair  opportunity  of  seeing 
through  the  telescope,  as  the  atmosphere  was  de- 
cidedly bad,  and  on  that  account  retired  at  eleven, 
after  a  good  opportunity  of  conversing  with  Mr. 
ADAMS.  He  has  recently  detected  errors  in  BURCK- 
HARDT'S  tables  of  the  moon's  parallax,  amounting 
to  5",  both  plus  and  minus.  He  was  led  to  the 
detection  by  the  article  of  HENDERSON'S  on  the 
lunar  parallax,  by  an  unaccountable  discrepancy 
between  results  which  should  have  been  identical,, 
derived  from  BURCKHARDT'S  and  from  DAMOISEAU'S- 
tables.  The  former,  after  applying  Mr.  ADAMS'S 
corrections,  agrees  with  the  latter,  the  mean  correc- 
tion being  V. 3,  which  is  precisely  the  mean  discrep- 
ancy. This  extraordinary  defect  of  these  tables 
affects  all  the  parallaxes  of  the  Nautical  Almanac,  etc., 
of  the  Berlin  Ephemeris.  In  PLANA'S  theory  is  a  term 
of  2",  with  an  erroneous  sign.  In  LINDENAU'S  of 
Venus,  the  secular  terms  are  so  entirely  wrong  that 
the  calculated  term  may  be  double  its  true  value,, 
from  its  being  obtained  from  too  short  an  interval. 

CAMBRIDGE,  October  17,  1851. 

After  breakfast  at  9  A.M.,  at  which  Mr.  ADAMS 
was  present,  I  went  to  the  dome  and  saw  Arcturus* 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  115 

the  atmosphere  being  very  tranquil.  The  appear- 
ance of  a  star  in  it  is  quite  of  a  different  character 
from  that  in  the  Munich  glasses,  which  have  a 
family  likeness.  The  pink  on  one  side  of  the  focus, 
and  the  green  on  the  other,  are  of  a  much  purer, 
and  more  decided  hue,  than  in  the  latter,  yet  I  can- 
not say  that  the  definition  was  inferior.  The  disk 
is  smallest  between  the  green  and  purple,  and  very 
nicely  centered,  which  must  be  ascribed  to  the  means 
possessed  in  the  Northumberland  equatorial  for 
bringing  the  lenses  to  very  exact  relative  adjust- 
ment. The  brightness  of  the  pink  and  green  seems 
perhaps  to  indicate  that  the  dispersive  powers  for 
the  different  colors  are  not  similarly  proportioned 
in  the  crown  and  flint  lenses  to  those  of  the  material 
used  for  the  Munich  lenses.  The  going  of  the  clocks 
is  much  better  than  ours. 

About  1  P.  M.  left  with  Mr.  ADAMS  for  the  town. 
On  our  way  we  had  a  long  conversation  about  Nep- 
tune. He  gives  it  decidedly  as  his  belief,  that  the 
direction  was  the  element  most  likely  to  be  correctly 
given,  and  that  it  would  be  possible  to  show,  inde- 
pendently of  trial,  in  other  words  by  analysis,  that 
the  change  of  direction  of  the  major  semi-axis  on 
different  hypotheses  would  be  smaller  than  the 
corresponding  changes  in  eccentricity,  etc.  I  under- 
stood him  to  say  that  he  was  impressed  with  this 
before  the  calculations  were  completed,  and  that  a 


116  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

first  trial,  with  simply  a  circular  orbit,  gave  a  place 
differing  only  10°  from  subsequent  results,  and  that 
the  errors  in  the  other  elements  would  always  tend 
to  cancel  each  other  and  give,  comparatively,  a  true 
direction. 

Secondly  —  That  there  is  no  assumed  distance  to 
be  found  between  the  true  place  of  Neptune  and  that 
calculated  by  LEVERRIER  and  ADAMS,  where  the 
observations  would  not  be  better  satisfied  the  nearer 
the  truth  was  approached.  That  LEVERRIER'S  limits 
are  vitiated,  from  the  fact  that  terms,  of  which,  from 
three  hypotheses,  no  knowledge  could  be  gained, 
and  were  of  necessity  omitted,  were  actually  of  very 
sensible  amount. 

Thirdly  —  That  the  reason  LEVERRIER  has  since 
given  why  his  limits  failed  —  namely,  that  a  wider 
range  of  error  ought  to  have  been  assigned  to  the 
earliest  observations,  is  set  aside  by  Professor 
PEIRCE'S  showing  that  Neptune  satisfies  them  very 
exactly. 

Fourthly — That  neglected  terms  in  the  pertur- 
bations of  Neptune  on  Uranus  were  very  sensible  in 
amount,  and  that  LEVERRIER'S  limits  were  unwar- 
rantable on  that  account. 

We  went  to  the  library  of  Trinity  College,  a 
fine  room,  and  saw  the  statue  of  NEWTON  by 
ROUBILIAC,  also  the  statue  of  BYRON  by  THOR- 
WALDSEN — the  most  exquisitely  beautiful  profile 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  117 

I  ever  saw,  but  it  is  said  not  to  be  faithfully 
like  BYRON.  I  saw  also  the  cast  from  the  face  of 
NEWTON.  In  most  of  the  busts  and  pictures  the 
lips  are  compressed,  but  ROUBILIAC  represents  the 
mouth  just  parted.  Last  night  I  remarked,  spon- 
taneously, a  resemblance  between  the  features  of 
Mr.  ADAMS  and  NEWTON'S.  The  nose  is  very  like, 
and  the  mouth  much  the  same.  I  was  a  little 
struck  afterwards  at  hearing  that  others  remark 
the  same.  I  dined  in  Mr.  A's  room  with  him,  Pro- 
fessor CHALLIS,  Mrs.  CHALLIS  and  their  son.  Mr.  A. 
is  Proctor,  and  among  his  insignia  of  office  is  a  sort 
of  pole-ax,  and  a  standard  measure  much  the  worse 
for  age  and  wear.  Previous  to  dinner  Mr.  A.  had 
taken  me  to  King's  College  Chapel,  through  the 
noble  interior,  more  beautiful  and  grand  than  I 
can  describe,  upon  the  stone  roof,  and  yet  higher 
on  the  wooden  roof  above  all,  in  a  state  of  preserva- 
tion no  one  would  think  possible  after  four  centu- 
ries. I  left  just  in  time  for  the  last  omnibus,  having 
spent  the  day  no  less  agreeably  than  profitably. 
Mr.  ADAMS,  indeed,  has  given  the  whole  of  it  to  me. 

IRELAND,  October  24,  1851. 

Arrived  at  DOOLEY'S  Hotel  (inn)  about  sunset, 
and,  as  the  evening  was  clear,  I  went  almost  imme- 
diately to  the  castle  (Parsonstown).  I  met  Lord 
ROSSE,  who  very  kindly  invitee?  me  to  stay  at  the 
castle.  I  saw  first  the  telescopes,  and  after  dinner 


118  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

found  the  younger  Mr.  STONEY  looking  at  Saturn 
with  the  three-foot  speculum.  The  speculum  had 
just  been  polished  and  placed  in  the  tube  a  day  or 
two  previously,  before  it  was  quite  complete,  as 
the  figure,  they  said,  is  slightly  elliptical  (in  order 
to  give  Mr.  LAWRENCE  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the 
moon,  which,  however,  clouds  entirely  prevented). 
The  evening  was  pretty  clear,  and  not  unfavorable, 
though  the  images  were  in  too  much  commotion 
for  a  trial  \i.  e.  test]  of  the  telescope.  However, 
the  two  inner  satellites  were  seen  without  the  least 
difficulty,  as  well  as  the  division  of  the  ring  and 
its  shadow  on  the  ball.  I  saw  no  distortion,  wings 
of  light,  nor  defect  of  any  kind  that  might  not  have 
resulted  from  the  ordinary  atmospheric  disturb- 
ances, with  so  large  a  reflecting  area.  This  charac- 
terizes the  nature  of  the  imperfections  of  definition, 
which,  though  better  than  I  had  expected  to  find, 
was  certainly  inferior  to  that  of  the  large  refractors 
on  nights  below  the  average.  Yet  I  think  I  have 
seen  states  of  atmosphere  when  our  telescope  has 
defined  much  worse.  We  then  went  to  the  six-foot 
and  saw  the  nebula  in  Andromeda,  and  I  spent  suffi- 
cient time  on  this  object,  on  which  I  am  at  home, 
as  it  were,  to  acquire  an  adequate  conception  of  the 
amount  of  light  collected;  but  this,  as  it  is  a  neces- 
sary consequence  of  the  aperture,  it  is  not  needful 
to  dwell  on.  What  was  of  much  more  importance, 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  119 

was  to  observe  the  very  remarkable  increase  in  the 
number  of  very  small  stars  close  to  the  nucleus, 
convincing  as  to  the  superiority  in  resolving  power 
of  this  telescope  over  ours,  on  which  before  I  was 
doubtful,  as  I  thought  that  our  better  definition 
would  more  than  compensate  for  loss  of  light.  But 
a  long  and  careful  examination  of  the  region  of 
the  nucleus  convinced  me  to  the  contrary.  Indeed 
I  could  not  but  admire  the  numbers  of  small  stars 
brought  in  sight.  The  elder  Mr.  STONEY  assured  me 
before  that  the  great  speculum  was  not  by  any  means 
in  high  condition.  Nothing  that  I  saw  led  me  to 
suppose  the  six-foot  inferior  to  the  three-foot,  though 
undoubtedly  it  is  so.  The  difference  is  less  at  any 
rate  than  the  proportionate  difficulties  of  construc- 
tion. Both  of  the  telescopes  are  in  use,  it  seems,  in 
favorable  weather,  almost  constantly.  The  younger 
Mr.  STONEY  is  now  taking  his  brother's  place.  Very 
high  powers  are  used;  the  ordinary  one  with  the 
six-foot  is  465,  and  the  lowest  220.  But  very  large 
fields  are  given,  and,  of  course,  the  boundaries  of 
the  field  are  indistinct,  and  would  be  so  under 
any  circumstances.  In  forming  an  opinion  of  the 
performance  of  these  instruments,  this  must  be 
remembered.  After  midnight  it  clouded  up. 

PAKSONSTOWN,  IRELAND,  October  25,  1851. 
I  breakfasted  10  A.M.,  a  very  proper  hour  after 
a  long  day's  travel  and  up  to  2  A.  M.    After  breakfast 


120  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

I  went  with  his  lordship  through  the  machine 
shops  and  foundry,  where  the  specula  are  made. 
Everything  bears  witness  to  the  great  amount  of 
work  gone  through  with  before  attaining  the  results 
for  which  the  place  is  renowned.  There  are  piles 
of  models  and  plans,  from  the  earliest  efforts  up 
to  the  present  moment.  It  is  well  to  see  that  a  vast 
amount  of  real  work  has  been  first  gone  through 
with,  and  I  constantly  meet  with  evidence  of  the 
mechanical  ingenuity  of  Lord  ROSSE  in  contriv- 
ances suggested  by  him.  He  was  with  me  nearly 
all  day,  and  his  knowledge  of  mechanics  reminds 
me  of  Mr.  BORDEN'S.  By  a  most  fortunate  coinci- 
dence, they  appointed  to-day  for  polishing  a  three- 
foot  telescope.  It  takes  six  hours,  and  the  whole 
process  is  so  completely  by  machinery  that  the  super- 
intendence of  a  competent  person  occasionally  to 
moisten  the  rouge  and  to  watch  the  process,  rather 
than  to  take  part  in  it,  is  all  that  is  necessary. 
Constant  improvements  are  being  applied.  "  Well 
enough  "  is  not  an  admissible  term.  They  now  are 
on  the  point  of  trying  to  cast  specula  with  honey- 
comb backs,  to  get  rid  of  weight  and  flexure.  A 
small  steam  engine  carries  the  polisher,  etc.  The 
six-foot  mirror,  which  is  thickest  and  heaviest,  has 
the  advantage  in  flexure.  I  saw  the  whole  process 
to  the  completion.  I  spent  the  evening  with  both 
Mr.  STONEYS  at  the  telescopes  till  3  A.M.,  when  it 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  121 

entirely  clouded.  Saw  with  the  three-foot  the  new 
ring  of  Saturn,  not  well;  and  with  the  six-foot, 
among  other  objects,  the  cluster  in  Perseus,  and  was 
impressed  with  the  contrast  of  colors  of  the  stars 
brought  out  by  the  light  of  the  instrument.  The 
night  grew  very  unfavorable,  and  before  3  A.M. 
clouded  entirely. 

LIVERPOOL  (Mr.  LASSELL'S  OBSERVATORY),  | 
October  30,  1851.  f 

Later  in  the  evening  we  repaired  to  the  dome 
and  looked  at  Saturn.  The  state  of  the  atmosphere 
was  unfavorable,  but  I  was  entirely  satisfied  of  the 
excellence  of  the  telescope,  making  allowance  for 
the  atmosphere.  In  point  of  definition  it  must  be 
allowed  as  a  rival  of  the  great  refractors,  and  in 
light  (two  feet  aperture)  surpassing  them.  The  air 
was  too  bad  for  the  severer  tests  of  double  stars. 
The  new  means  used  for  counterpoising  all  parts  of 
the  mirror  is  thought  a  great  improvement.  On 
the  whole,  after  seeing  pretty  thoroughly  Lord 
ROSSE'S  operations,  and  acquiring  at  least  an  idea 
of  the  high  degree  of  excellence  of  Mr.  LASSELL'S 
specula,  I  am  disposed  to  think  that,  in  the  hands 
of  those  who,  like  them,  apply  so  much  attention 
and  care  to  the  subject,  the  reflectors  are  in  a  fair 
way  to  eclipse  the  refractors,  in  definition  as  well 
as  light,  when  very  large.  The  new  ring  of  Saturn 
was  plainly  seen ;  its  breadth  we  both  agreed  [to  be] 


122  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

less  than  that  of  the  outer  ring,  yet  occupying  nearly 
half  the  distance  between  the  ball  and  the  inner 
edge  of  the  bright  ring.  The  dark  space,  including 
the  new  ring,  is  less  than  the  breadth  of  the  old 
ring.  We  both  agreed  on  this.*  We  looked  at 
Uranus  and  saw  four,  perhaps  five,  satellites.  I 
think  the  greater  light  tells  on  the  performance 
here. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  DIARY  OF  1863. f 

Left  Boston  11  A.  M.,  April  15, 1863,  by  steamship 
Canada,  Captain  Grace.  A  light  head  wind  to 
Halifax — 4  A.M.,  Friday,  April  17th. 

AT  SEA,  April  19th. 

A  light  southeast  wind.  We  are  sailing  at 
eleven  and  one  half  knots.  To-day  we  met  the 
Persia,  bound  for  New  York.  She  signaled  having 
seen  ice  in  longitude  43°. 

Iron  steamers  observe  azimuths  of  the  sun  with 
the  compass  twice  a  day.  The  captain  considers 
the  lighthouse  system  of  Massachusetts  Bay  excel- 
lent. He  has  heard  pilots  complain  of  the  new 
dioptric  light  as  not  being  so  good  as  the  old  one 


*  Modern  measures  confirm  these  early,  but  careful,  esti- 
mates. 

tThe  journey  of  1863  was  undertaken  for  the  purpose  of 
determining  the  cost  of  an  objective  of  large  size  for  the  Har- 
vard College  Observatory. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  123 

in  fog  and  snow.  It  does  not  throw  the  light  up  on 
the  fog  above  it,  so  as  to  show  its  position.  The 
green  light  carried  by  steamers  is  seen  from  one  to 
two  miles  farther  than  the  red. 

AT  SEA,  April  20th. 

A  warm  southerly  wind.  Seven  icebergs  are  in 
sight  at  once.  We  saw  twenty  or  more  last  even- 
ing. The  course  was  altered  to  avoid  two  of  them, 
which  we  passed  within  one  eighth  of  a  mile. 
Those  on  the  leeward  side  were  brilliantly  white  in 
the  sun,  the  spray  dashing  over  them  changing 
their  aspect  remarkably  as  they  passed.  One  of 
them  at  first  seemed  a  mere  square  block,  or  table, 
thirty  or  forty  feet  above  water, —  as  it  passed  it 
changed  to  a  mass  of  turreted  peaks.  Another  was 
very  beautiful,  with  sides  jutting  over  the  water  in 
a  curve — mushroom-like. 

AT  SEA,  April  23d. 

We  are  just  half  way  over,  and  to-day  I  saw  a 
petrel,  but  no  gulls  or  other  birds.  Very  fine 
weather  and  a  fair  wind  —  the  ship  making  her 
best.  It  has  been,  with  the  exception  of  the  21st, 
good  weather  since  losing  sight  of  ice. 

April  24th. 

English  sea  birds  were  first  seen  this  morning. 
They  do  not  fly  so  heavily  as  our  common  gull. 
The  wings  are  tipped  with  black. 

About  four  years  ago  the  Canada,  in  the  day- 
time, going  eleven  or  twelve  knots  in  a  dense  fog, 


124  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

struck  full  against  an  iceberg.  The  bowsprit 
touched  first,  and  was  carried  away;  then  the 
figurehead  and  all  the  light  work  was  destroyed; 
but,  fortunately,  her  way  was  stopped  before  any 
damage  was  done  below  water  line.  The  engines 
were  reversed  a  moment  before  and  diminished  the 
speed  about  one  knot. 

April  26th. 

Arrived  at  Liverpool,  Sunday,  8  p.  M. 

LIVERPOOL,  April  27th. 

I  went  to-day  to  the  observatory  and  found  Mr. 
HARTNUP.  His  son,  JOHN  HARTNUP,  is  now  attached 
to  the  observatory.  All  the  arrangements  seemed 
very  neat,  but  Mr.  H.  complains  that  little  time  is 
left  for  astronomy  after  attending  to  200  chronom- 
eters and  the  Meteorological  Record.  The  self- 
registering  wind  curves  are  very  effective.  I  saw 
evident  spots  of  efflorescence  on  the  object  glass 
(by  MERZ)  of  the  equatorial,  just  as  on  ours.  Mr. 
HARTNUP  has  no  difficulty  in  getting  all  necessary 
provisions  for  ordinary  expenses.  He  thinks  $1000 

small  for  our  observatory. 

BIRMINGHAM,  April  28th. 

I  arrived  at  Birmingham  at  12:30,  and  at  1:45 
returned  on  the  line  as  far  as  "Spoil  Lane,"  where 
CHANCE  Bros.  &  Co.  have  their  great  glass  works. 
I  saw  Mr.  JOHN  CHANCE,  and  he  gave  me  the  fol- 
lowing information: — 

They  have  a  department  specially  devoted  to 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  125 

optical  glass,  of  which  the  manufacture  is  a  secret. 
The  demand  for  photographic  camera  lenses  is  very 
great.  They  made  two  discs  of  29-inch,  which  I 
saw  in  the  great  exhibition  of  1851,  and  they  have 
on  hand  two  discs  (one  crown  and  a  flint  to  match)* 
of  25-inch  diameter,  and  *a  flint  of  20-inch.  The 
latter,  with  a  crown  to  match  it,  would  cost  in  its 
present  state  £600  for  the  pair,  and  one  inch  might 
add  £100  to  the  cost,  but  could  not  be  made  to 
order  under  six  months'  notice.  The  following  are 
the  dimensions  of  those  discs  which  I  saw  and 
examined  carefully: — 

(A)f — Disc  of  crown:  diameter  25J  inches  full, 
2f  inches  thick. 

(B)t— Disc  of  flint:  diameter  25^1^. 
(C)—  Disc  of  flint:  diameter  20|  to  20|=lf. 

(A),  density  2.50;  (B)  and  (C),  3.60. 

(A)  weighs  about  100  pounds,  (B)  about  140 
pounds. 

(A)  was  [put  in  place  for  examination],  and  as 
the  edge  had  been  ground  and  polished  with  oppo- 
site parallel  faces  on  the  edge  (as  were  also  the 


*An  object  glass  is  usually  composed  of  two  lenses  — one 
double-convex  lens  of  crown  glass,  one  plano-concave  of  flint 
glass. 

t  These  are  probably  the  discs  used  in  1870  for  Mr.  NEWALL'S 
25-inch,  refractor,  now  at  Cambridge,  England.  It  is  under- 
stood that  the  price  of  the  rough  glass  was  £1000,  and  the  total 
cost  of  the  instrument  mounted,  complete,  £3950. 


126  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

others),  by  looking  through,  with  light  from  the 
window  opposite,  there  was  good  chance  for  detect- 
ing strife.  It  appeared  to  me  that  this  disc  was  of 
high  quality,  for,  after  thorough  exploration,  I 
could  detect  none  of  any  moment,  indeed  I  might 
say  none  at  all,  for  those  noticed  were  mere  faint 
wisps  and  very  small,  attached  to  the  usual  specks 
or  bubbles. 

Next  we  looked  at  (B).  This  is  less  transparent 
than  (A),  and  I  think  inferior  to  it,  though  Messrs. 
CHANCE  have  a  high  opinion  of  both,  and  consider 
them  of  better  quality  than  that  furnished  by  Mr. 
CLARK.  The  flint,  they  say,  gives  far  more  diffi- 
culty than  crown,  and  to  make  to  order  discs  of 
large  size,  say  exceeding  twelve  inches,  they  need 
from  six  months  to  one  or  two  years'  notice.  The 
difficulty  is,  that  to  make  large  optical  glass,  even 
for  a  single  lens,  they  must  interrupt  their  other 
business,  and  cannot  fill  orders  in  their  regular 
branches  of  trade.  This  they  more  than  once- 
alluded  to  as  a  serious  matter.  There  is  not 
demand  to  warrant  them  in  undertaking  the  man- 
ufacture on  a  large  scale,  but  if  not  limited  as  to 
price,  for  £10,000  to  £50,000,  they  said  they  could 
make  discs  of  thirty  inches. 

(C),  I  thought,  had  a  decided  defect,  but  it  was 
impossible  to  be  assured  of  the  real  optical  value  of 
either  disc  by  such  trial  as  could  be  made. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  127 

The  Messrs.  CHANCE  appeared  very  frank,  and 
as  to  the  test  afforded  by  mere  inspection,  I  should 
be  disposed  to  rely  on  their  judgment.  They  deal 
largely  with  VOIGTLANDER  for  cameras.  Plates  of 
one  half  inch  thick  by  twelve  inches  they  sell  in 
large  quantities,  to  be  cut  up  by  opticians.  They 
have  discs  of  eight  inches,  which  are  unsalable,- 
simply  because  the  glass  is  not  of  the  usual  tint. 
One  that  I  saw  was  violet. 

There  are  now  at  least  two  parties  in  treaty  for 
the  25-inch  disc,  and  they  mentioned  Mr.  CLARK  as 
having  lately  made  inquiries  for  a  disc  of  twenty 
inches.  Mr.  NEWALL,  an  engineer  of  wealth,  will 
probably  purchase  the  25-inch,  and  they  expect 
COOKE  of  York,  soon,  to  examine  them.  They 
would  scarcely  undertake  to  make  a  20-inch  to 
order  at  less  than  six  months'  or  one  years' 
notice. 

The  general  establishment  of  the  Messrs.  CHANCE 

o 

is  immense.  Glasshouses  cover  twenty-six  acres, 
and  alkali  works  some  eight  more.  In  the  glass- 
works they  employ  1600  workmen,  and  in  the 
alkali  600.  Total,  2200.  They  are  changing  their 
furnaces  to  melt  by  gas,  instead  of  by  coal.  This 
is  creating  a  revolution  in  glass  making,  as  the 
color  of  the  glass  is  improved.  They  make  the 
"  French  lens"  for  light-houses  —  in  fact,  the  whole 
dome  of  the  light,  revolving  machinery,  etc.—  and 


128  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

they  have  for  this  an  establishment  and  machine 
shops  like  a  locomotive  factory. 

LONDON,  April  29th. 

Left  Birmingham  this  noon.  The  country  be- 
tween there  and  London  is  indescribably  beautiful. 

I  tried  to  recognize  what  the  peculiarities  in  the 
landscape  were  which  make  it  so  different  from 
ours.  I  think  one  is,  that  not  a  square  rod  of 
ground  has  been  left  in  a  state  of  nature.  The 
fields  are  all  smooth  and  garden-like  as  far  as  the 
eye  can  reach.  The  hazy  atmosphere  has  some- 
thing to  do  with  the  effect.  The  color  of  the  build- 
ing materials  is  also  quite  different;  no  bright  tints 
— all  dingy  red,  or  clay  or  stone  color.  The  soil  is 
mostly  reddish,  which  I  have  noticed  brings  out 
the  green  of  the  grass  and  the  complementary 
colors.  The  style  of  building  is  also  quite  differ- 
ent. We  have  no  such  country  bumpkins  as  the 

laborers  in  the  fields. 

LONDON,  May  1st. 

I  drove  to  the  Crystal  Palace  to-day.  The 
building  is  a  marvel  as  to  size  and  imposing  effect; 
the  grounds,  too,  are  pleasant,  but  the  contents 
of  the  building  and  the  display  of  articles  are 
altogether  inferior,  and  not  to  be  mentioned  in 
comparison  with  the  Exposition  of  1851. 

LONDON,  May  3d. 

I  went  to-day  to  the  service  in  Westminster 
Abbey.  There  was  a  large  congregation,  and  being 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  129 

late  I  was  too  far  outside  to  hear  perfectly.  The 
chanting  of  the  responses  was  beyond  description 
impressive,  filling  the  temple  with  a  mighty  tide  of 
heavenly  sound.  One  does  not  need  to  distinguish 
perfectly  the  words  uttered,  in  order  to  bow  the 
head  and  worship  there.  I  love  the  old  abbey 
better  every  time  I  look  on  it. 

LONDON,  May  5th. 

I  went  this  morning  to  Palace  Garden  Terrace 
for  Professor  MAXWELL,  and  found  him  at  home. 
At  the  Royal  Society,  Saturday  evening,  I  saw  his 
apparatus  to  illustrate  the  motions  of  a  ring  of 
thirty-six  satellites  about  Saturn.  He  does  not 
think  the  constitution  of  satellites  conforms  with 
the  aspect  of  the  ring.  He  has  discussed  the  sub- 
ject of  the  ring  being  a  disintegrated  solid.  He 
states  that  the  loss  of  force  by  friction  and  heat 
would  not  be  appreciable  to  observation,  supposing 
there  were  perpetual  collisions.  So  loss  by  friction 
of  a  fluid  would  be  inappreciable.  He  doubts  if  a 
ring  of  satellites  would  satisfy  the  observed  aspect. 

He  referred  to  the  aspect  of  the  moon  at  full 
having  the  rim  brightest,  as  probably  an  indication 
of  a  rough  surface  of  large  blocks  —  not  fine  sand. 

I  saw  to-day  Mr.  JAMES  and  WM.  SIMMS.  The 
latter  showed  me  object  glasses  of  eight  inches  in 
process  of  construction.  He  thinks  the  bubbles  of 
no  consequence.  Merz  flint  is  quickly  affected  by 


130  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

the  English  climate.  CHANCE  says  the  bubbles 
come  from  stirring  when  the  glass  is  melted,  and, 
when  not  stirred,  stride  will  show  themselves.  MERZ 
manufactures  his  own  glass.  I  saw  Colonel  STRANGE, 
who  had  come  to  look  at  a  casting  just  from  the 
mold,  of  an  aluminum  bronze  circle  for  a  theodolite 
for  the  India  survey.  It  is  the  largest  casting  of 
the  bronze  yet  executed,  and  proved  to  be  a  very 
good  one,  though  Mr.  SIMMS  had  just  told  me  that 
the  metal  was  difficult  to  cast,  being  viscid.  The 
color  was  very  fine,  like  gold,  but  tarnishes  if  han- 
dled. The  bronze  is  exceedingly  tenacious.  It 
costs  five  times  as  much  as  bell  metal.  Its  light- 
ness, rigidity  and  small  expansibility  are  recom- 
mendations for  a  large  meridian  circle.  In  the 
afternoon  I  went  to  Crawford,  where  I  met  Mr.  DE 
LA  RUE.  The  country  was  surpassingly  beautiful, 
and  the  season  one  of  the  earliest  on  record.  Craw- 
ford is  a  fine  place.  On  the  way  from  the  railroad 
station  we  passed  over  Hounslow  Heath,  now  a 
lovely  garden.  We  drove  through  a  noble  avenue 
of  oaks,  and  such  lawns,  shrubbery  and  walks!  like 
fairy  land. 

I  saw  the  photographic  process.  Mr.  DE  LA  RUE 
uses  cadmian  collodion.  He  has  an  exhausted  air 
plate  holder;  the  plates  are  small,  circular,  two  and 
one  half  inches.  His  telescope  is  a  reflector,  thirteen 
inches  aperture,  ten  feet  focus.  He  has  now  a  STEIN- 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  131 

HEIL  mirror,  not  yet  tested.  He  thinks  a  reflector 
has  advantages  as  to  curvature  of  the  image,  besides, 
there  is  less  absorption  of  actinic  energy.  OTTO 
STRUVE  was  here  two  weeks  ago.  He  has  very  strong 
opposition  to  contend  against.  The  Academy  al- 
leged the  cause  that  he  is  a  German,  and  there  is 
an  intense  manifestation  of  nationality  in  Russia 
just  now.  DE  LA  RUE'S  stereoscopic  pictures  of  the 
moon  in  various  phases  have  the  distortion  of  look- 
ing ellipsoidal,  the  longer  axis  to  the  eye,  or  a  little 
below  it,  when  seen  as  in  the  telescope.  The  pho- 
tographs are  certainly  very  fine,  and  bear  magnify- 
ing exceedingly  well.  He  attributes  it  to  the  use 
of  the  cadmian  collodion,  and  in  not  using  silver 
in  developing, —  only  pyrogallic  acid.  His  draw- 
ings of  Saturn,  Mars  and  comets  are  very  numerous, 
and  excellently  well  done,  evidently  with  great 
fidelity;  note  a  stereoscope  of  Saturn — a  striking 
thing.  The  shadows  of  Saturn's  ball  on  the  ring 
are  singularly  like  ours. 

LONDON,  May  7th. 

I  went  this  morning  to  St.  James'  Hall,  the  din- 
ing club  of  the  Royal  Society,  and  there  met  Gen- 
eral SABINE,  Professor  MILLER  of  King's  College; 
Professor  TYNDALL,  Professor  SHARPIE,  Doctor  Ro- 
GET  and  others.  After  dinner  I  went  to  the  rooms 
of  the  Royal  Society  to  the  regular  meeting.  Gen- 
eral SABINE  was  in  the  chair;  Professor  SHARPIE  on 


132  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

his  right,  Professor  STOKES  on  his  left.  I  met  there 
Professor  MAXWELL  and  THOS.  GRAHAM,  Master  of 
the  Mint,  and  saw  also  Professor  HURST  (tall  and 
thin),  and  Professor  SYLVESTER  (stout  and  jolly). 

LONDON,  May  8th. 

This  morning  I  went  with  General  SABINE  to 
Richmond,  through  the  deer  park,  to  Kew  Observ- 
atory. The  whole  magnetic  apparatus  is  now  excel- 
lently arranged,  very  compact  and  effective.  It 
can  all  be  comprised  easily  in  a  small  observing 
building  of  the  cheapest  construction,  about  twenty- 
five  feet  square.  .  .  . 

Thence  I  went  to  Kew  Gardens  with  General 
SABINE  by  the  Deodor  avenue.  Everything  is 
extremely  beautiful.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive 
of  a  garden  more  complete  and  beautiful.  In  the 
museum  I  noticed  a  half-length  crayon  of  Doctor 
GRAY  and  Doctor  TORREY,  taken  when  young.  In 
the  great  palm  house  many  of  the  trees  have  been 
topped  or  cut  down  for  want  of  room.  There  is  a 
new  conservatory  of  half-hard}'  plants  of  temperate 
climates. 

I  returned  to  London  as  far  as  Vauxhall  with 
SABINE,  who  asked  me  to  dinner,  but  I  was  already 
engaged  for  the  Royal  Astronomical  Society  Club 
at  Freemasons'  Tavern.  There  I  saw  Mr.  DUNKIN, 
Mr.  AIRY,  Mr.  WHITBREAD,  M.  P.,  Colonel  STRANGE 
and  Sir  CHARLES  BRIGHT,  who  invited  me  to  see 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  133 

the  cable  proposed  for  the  deep  sea,  five  times 
heavier  than  that  used  hitherto.  The  telegraph 
now  extends  to  Bagdad.  Mr.  CARRINGTON,  Admi- 
ral MANNERS,  EDWIN  CLARKE,  C.  E.,  R.  HODGSON, 
PRITCHARD,  SELWYN,  VIGNOLLES,  C.  E.  WALKER, 
HIND,  Doctor  LEE  and  Mr.  BUCKINGHAM  were  pres- 
ent. The  last  named  has  an  achromatic  worked 
by  WRAY  from  discs  rejected  by  the  French  Govern- 
ment. It  was  exhibited  in  the  exhibition  of  1862. 
One  small  part  is  defective.  It  has  a  crown  of 
twenty-nine  inches,  but  the  flint  is  not  good. 

At  the  club  dinner  Mr.  AIRY  was  in  the  chair, 
Bishop  COLENSO  at  his  right.  He  alluded  to  Profes- 
sor SOPHOCLES'S  work  on  the  modern  Greek  as 
evincing  great  learning,  and  was  generally  very 
complimentary  to  American  science.  It  was  a  full 
meeting,  about  sixty  or  seventy  present. 

GREENWICH,  May  12th. 

This  morning  I  went  to  Greenwich,  and  met 
Mr.  AIRY  at  the  station  on  his  way  to  London.  I 
spoke  to  him  of  Professor  SOPHOCLES'S  work  on 
modern  Greek,  and  told  him  it  must  be  that  pub- 
lished by  the  American  Academy.  He  assented, 
and  called  it  a  very  remarkable  work. 

At  Greenwich  I  was  shown  by  Mr.  STONE,  the 
first  assistant,  and  Mr.  CARPENTER  over  the  principal 
part  of  the  buildings  — the  great  equatorial — (the 
framework  enormous)  the  dome  a  light,  flat-roofed 


134  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

cylinder.  The  best  form  of  all  is,  I  think,  DE  LA 
RUE'S  —  a  simple,  square,  flat-roofed  building.  The 
object  glass  was  very  much  dimmed  by  [atmos- 
pheric] action,  apparently  on  the  flint  lens.  There 
was  a  general  cloudiness,  and  undoubted  spots  of 
efflorescence,  like  those  on  our  great  object  glass, 
but  ours  is  in  a  far  better  condition. 

I  examined  the  great  transit  circle.  The  illumi- 
nation is  very  good;  no  trouble  here  with  quick- 
silver tremor,  but  much  was  experienced  with  the 
reflex  zenith  tube,  which  is  now  obviated  by  using 
wooden  boxes  or  frames  suspended  one  inside  the 
other,  three  of  them,  by  strips  of  India  rubber 
8  x  1 J  x  ^  inches.  The  result  is  perfect. 

The  transit  circle  is,  I  fear,  in  danger  of  having 
too  much  to  do  with  all  the  galvanic  connections. 
I  saw  the  register  apparatus.  They  rule  the  sheets 
in  advance  by  ink  from  a  pen  like  ours,  and  then 
use  the  punctures;  but  the  record  is  obviously  far 
less  regular  than  the  spring-governor.  Some  of 
the  dots  are  very  faint,  and  must  be  quite  trouble- 
some to  read  off. 

The  manuscript  room  is  fireproof,  with  slate 
shelves,  a  capital  thing.  Here  are  collected  all  the 
manuscripts  of  observations  and  computations  from 
the  founding  of  the  observatory,  all  bound,  labeled 
and  in  perfect  order.  The  volumes  of  Mr.  AIRY'S 
correspondence  are  appalling.  One  set  of  recent 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  135 

date  contains  a  letter  of  the  Astronomer  Royal,  in 
which  he  states  the  items  of  his  correspondence  on 
the  subject  of  "Sales  of  Gas  Commissions  Act"  to 
have  amounted  to  431  notes,  letters,  or  longer  docu- 
ments, among  them  long  letters  and  one  report  of 
thirty  pages.  He  writes  all  these  himself,  and  has 
no  private  secretary.  Nearly  his  whole  time  is 
necessarily  consumed  in  correspondence  and  in  the 
direction  of  affairs.  Matters  outside  the  province  of 
the  observatory  or  of  astronomy  consume  much  time. 

BONN,  May  17th. 

I  called  on  Professor  ARGELANDER  at  9  A.  M.  At 
the  observatory  I  saw  the  principal  instruments. 
The  meridian  circle  is  by  PISTOR  and  MARTINS,  Ber- 
lin. He  uses  now  only  one  circle,  but  would  use  two 
for  fundamental  work.  The  pivots  are  only  one 
inch  in  diameter,  and  the  level,  which  is  a  hanging 
one,  rests  on  parts  [of  the  pivots],  say  an  inch  distant 
from  the  y.  "When  the  level  is  set  on,  it  is  swung 
pretty  forcibly  backward  and  forward  to  give  it  a 
firm  bearing.  The  microscopes  are  supported  on 
brass  arms.  Professor  ARGELANDER  doubts  whether 
they  are  better  than  in  stone,  as  in  streams  of  air 
of  different  temperatures  they  are  liable  to  distor- 
tions different  from  the  circle.  He  thinks  the  idea 
of  covering  the  piers  with  cloth  a  good  one.  He 
does  not  like  gas,  as  it  has  injured  the  circle 
divisions  by  tarnishing.  I  saw  the  same  thing  at 


136  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Greenwich,  where  they  complained  of  it  also.  The 
building  and  the  outside  grounds  are  in  excellent 
order;  within,  indications  are  that  appearances  are 
not  considered  of  much  account.  Professor  ARGE- 
LANDER  spoke  of  the  desirability  of  making  a  com- 
prehensive star-catalogue  to  include  all  scattered 
positions  of  stars  in  the  Astronomische  Nachricltten 
and  elsewhere.  He  mentioned  that  HOEK  of  Ley- 
den  is  engaged  on  a  reference  catalogue,  citing 
places  where  stars  are  to  be  found.  BESSEL  was 
very  fond  of  hunting,  and  used  to  go  into  the 
country  on  Saturda}'  nights  to  hunt  on  Sundays. 
He  worked  very  hard,  but  went  often  into  society. 
He  was  not  a  good  teacher,  and  used  to  tell  ARGE- 
LANDER  not  to  attend  his  lectures, —  that  he  could 
use  his  time  to  better  advantage.  His  habit  was, 
in  whatever  subject  he  was  engaged  upon,  to  study 
up  specially  on  that  alone,  and  he  had  little  idea 
of  teaching  the  general  principles  simply. 

At  social  entertainments  he  used  to  have  a  little 
table  set  for  himself,  in  case  of  his  leaving  to 
observe.  He  was  lively  and  very  amiable.  He 
lectured  eight  hours  a  week  at  Konigsberg.  D'AR- 
REST  is  subject  to  melancholy.  SCHWERD,  at  Speyer, 
near  Mannheim,  is  ingenious  in  mechanical  inven- 
tions. He  is  getting  old,  and  has  affection  or  dizzi- 
ness of  the  head,  preventing  observing.  KAISER  is 
getting  into  years,  and  is  subject  to  headaches. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  137 

SCHONFELD,  FoRSTER  and  WiNNECKE  are  among  the 
most  promising  of  the  young  men. 

REPSOLD  of  Hamburg  and  PISTOR  and  MARTINS 
of  Berlin  are  the  best  instrument  makers.  ARGE- 
LANDER  likes  SCHWERD'S  photometer  much  better 
than  STEINHEIL'S,  which  is  complicated.  He  thinks 
he  would  prefer  smaller,  rather  than  larger,  circles 
to  his  meridian  circle.  They  are  about  three  feet. 
He  has  a  fine  instrument  for  extra  meridional 
observations  of  distances  of  stars  apart.  He  pro- 
poses in  this  way  to  determine  R.  A.  differences  of 
a  few  stars,  independent  of  time,  but  flexure  is  a 
great  difficulty.  The  level  tube  is  freely  exposed 
to  the  air.  I  saw  the  comet-seeker  of  "Sternver- 
zeichniss" — a  very  plain,  unpretending  instrument. 
One  observer  could  not  continue  the  observations 
much  beyond  an  hour  and  twenty  minutes,  from 
fatigue.  They  have  observed  as  many  as  thirty 
stars  in  one  minute  and  1200  in  an  hour. 

MANNHEIM,  May  18th. 

I  called  this  evening  on  Professor  SCHONFELD, 
and  had  two  hours'  conversation  with  him.  He 
showed  me  his  " Nebelflecke"  two  copies  of  which  he 
has  sent  to  H.  C.  Observatory,  through  booksellers. 
The  Government  did  not  allow  him  sufficient  means 
to  publish  his  observations  in  full.  Professor  ARGE- 
LANDER  also  complained  that  for  want  of  means 
his  charts  were  not  as  well  printed  as  he  desired. 


138  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

I  understood  him  to  say  that  he  furnished  the 
money  himself.  He  has  a  certain  amount  allowed 
yearly  for  the  observatory,  and  although  it  is  in 
form  appropriated  to  different  objects,  yet  what  he 
saves  in  one  department  he  can  spend  in  another. 

SPEYER,  May  19th. 

I  went  to  Speyer  to-day  at  9:25  to  see  Professor 
SCHWERD  and  the  photometer.  Such  extraordinary 
old  battered  doorways  or  gates  to  the  private  houses, 
as  if  they  were  intended  to  stand  a  siege  of  a  week 
or  more!  Generally  in  German  towns  people  seem 
to  walk  in  the  middle  of  the  streets,  in  preference  to 
the  sidewalks,  when  there  are  any.  The  streets  are 
clean,  except  the  gutters,  which  perform  the  office 
of  sewers.  Professor  SCHWERD  speaks  not  a  word 
of  English.  I  saw  first  in  his  garden  a  little  box 
4x4x8  feet  high,  his  photometric  observatory! 
and  a  little  octagonal  building  ten  or  twelve  feet  in 
diameter,  where  is  mounted  the  meridian  circle  by 
REICHENBACH  &  ERTEL,  Munich  (the  elder  ERTEL, 
the  younger  has  lately  died).  SCHWERU  and  ARGE- 
LANDER  both  thought  the  recent  work  of  the  estab- 
lishment inferior.  With  this  instrument  the  polar 
catalogue  was  observed.  It  reads  by  verniers  to  4", 
but  much  closer  by  estimation.  I  noticed  that 
SCHWERD  had  altered  the  level  y's  (hanging  level) 
so  that  they  rested  on  the  part  of  the  pivot  over 
the  point  of  contact  of  the  pivot  on  the  ?/'s  attached 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  139 

to  the  stone;  whereas  at  Bonn  the  level  rests  on 
parts  of  pivots  inside  their  points  of  support.  He 
also  added  the  counterpoise  to  make  the  pivots  bear 
equally  on  each  y.  The  circle  is  perhaps  of  twenty 
inches,  and  is  graduated  as  a  finder  on  the  edge 
and  finely  on  its  face  as  silver.  I  do  not  think  the 
counterpoise  for  flexure  of  the  tube  can  be  an 
advantage,  as  it  must  act  irregularly  at  zenith. 
Professor  SCHWERD  explained  his  photometer  at 
length.  The  instrument  had  been  taken  apart,  but 
by  drawings  and  looking  at  different  parts  I  could 
understand  it  readily. 

SCHWERD  is  making  two,  one  for  Poulkova  and 
one  for  Wilna,  the  cost  2450  thalers — not  high,  I 
suppose,  considering  the  amount  of  work,  including 
the  clockwork.  The  optical  part  was  made  by 
MERZ — the  rest  in  his  own  workshop. 

Speyer  is  one  of  the  oldest  German  towns,  and 
is  mentioned  by  Roman  authors,  perhaps  by  CAESAR. 
The  cathedral  has  been  two  or  three  times  restored, 
and  now  the  interior  has  a  modern  look,  being 
finely  painted  and  adorned  with  pictures  of  scenes 
from  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament,  well  executed. 
The  ceiling  is  in  color  and  gilt.  Outside,  in  the 
gardens  adjoining,  you  come  now  and  then  on 
older  ruins,  and  there  are  many  marks  of  an  older' 
building  about  the  cathedral  itself. 


140  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

MUNICH,  May  21st. 

To-day  I  went  to  MERZ'S  Optical  Institute.  I 
found  SIEGMUND  MERZ  and  saw  MERZ  senior,  who  is 
apparently  about  seventy  years  old.*  They  showed 
me  various  object  glasses  to  illustrate  the  effect  of 
efflorescence.  Some  had  round  spots,  like  those  on 
our  object  glass,  though  not  so  large  —  others  irreg- 
ular streaks  of  the  same  nature,  perhaps — but  much 
more  extensive  than  any  seen  on  our  object  glass. 
I  saw  an  object  glass  of  16-inch,  French,  and  6-foot 
focus  on  trial.  This  also  showed  much  more  action 
than  ours.  In  another  room  I  saw  two  finished 
object  glasses  of  14-inch,  French,  one  of  which  was 
the  companion  of  ours  or  of  Poulkova,  and  the 
other  the  companion  of  that  made  for  Lisbon  under 
the  supervision  of  M.  OTTO  STRUVE,  which  was  con- 
sidered an  excellent  glass.  A  third  was  of  16-inch, 
French.  This,  MERZ  said,  was  good  as  to  perform- 
ance, but  in  one  part  it  had  a  stria  which,  though  he 
did  not  really  consider  it  of  importance,  would  pre- 
vent him  from  selling  it,  as  wnen  noticed  it  might 
injure  the  reputation  of  the  establishment.  I 
observe  that  on  this  point  they  seem  very  sensitive. 
I  saw  the  flint  lens  of  the  18-inch,  French  (curves 
for  focal  length  27-foot,  French).  MERZ  considers 
it  of  very  fine  quality,  and  on  careful  examination 

*  GEORGE  MERZ,  born  1793.  From  1818  he  was  an  assistant 
to  FRAUENHOFER  (who  died  in  1826),  and  from  that  time  on- 
wards he  was  the  head  of  the  Munich  Optical  Institute. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  141 

I  found  it  remarkably  transparent  and  nearly  white 
in  color.  It  is  unusually  free  from  bubbles  of  much 
size.  I  saw  the  crown  glass  partly  ground,  but  this 
had  the  surface  marked  with  one  or  two  pretty  deep 
seams,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  they  would  come  out  in 
the  grinding.  In  another  room  were  two  or  three 
discs  of  crown  of  18-inch  diameter  of  different 
colors,  some  bluish.  These  had  large  notches, 
two  inches  long,  scooped  out  of  them,  often  to  the 
depth  of  one  half  the  disc,  probably  for  the  removal 
of  striae.  There  was  a  large  block  of  crown, 
10x12  inches,  of  irregular  shape,  considered  of 
fine  quality,  which  was  to  be  pressed,  in  a  semifluid 
state,  into  the  shape  of  a  disc.  This  is  an  important 
part  of  the  process.  Flint  heats  more  readily,  and 
becomes  of  the  right  consistency  for  pressing,  while 
crown  glass  is  more  refractory  in  this  part  of  the 
process,  and  sometimes,  by  repeated  heating,  be- 
comes brittle,  so  that  for  very  large  discs  the  crown 
is  more  difficult  to  make  than  the  flint,  although, 
perhaps,  easier  in  the  rough  mass.  I  saw  two  or 
three  15-inch  discs  in  the  rough,  some  of  which 
had  been  examined. 

MERZ  now  undertakes  lenses  of  moderate  size, 
under  10-inch,  with  ratio  **¥*££*  =  &•  He  has  made, 
or  is  making,  one  for  Hamburg — an  equatorial. 

This  afternoon  I  drove  out  to  Bogenhausen  and 
found  Doctor  LAMONT  at  home,  in  the  workshop  of 


142  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

the  observatory  in  the  midst  of  work.  He  showed 
me  first  a  new  transit,  not  yet  finished,  designed 
for  zones. 

I  saw  an  old  two-foot  circle  by  REICHENBACH, 
fitted  up-  to  be  used  for  latitude  observations  in 
a  new  verification  of  geographical  positions  for  the 
meassurement  of  degrees. 

Doctor  LAMOXT  has  a  meridian  circle  of  REICH- 
ENBACH'S  —  his  first  large  one — made  about  1818. 
It  is  in  very  good  keeping,  though  Doctor  LAMONT 
fills  the  observatory  and  covers  all  his  instruments 
with  ingenious  contrivances  of  his  own — this  among 
the  rest.  I  saw  the  nadir  reflection  of  wires  excel- 
lently. The  mercury  is  only  about  0.04  inch  deep, 
and  is  in  a  copper  or  brass  disc,  to  which  it  adheres 
slightly.  Doctor  LAMONT  is  confident  that  0.02  inch 
is  deep  enough  to  insure  horizontality.  It  comes 
to  rest  in  twenty  or  thirty  seconds. 

Doctor  LAMONT  is  unmarried,  and  works  very 
hard  evidentl}r.  He  is  much  of  a  mechanician, 
and  works  himself  in  the  workshop  at  the  observ- 
atory. He  lives  rather  secluded  from  society,  and 
is  un  pen  angulaire  in  his  ways.  But  he  evidently 
has  great  resources  of  mechanical  invention  and 
theoretical  knowledge.  Astronomical  observations, 
as  well  as  those  of  magnetism  and  meteorology, 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  143 

were  evidently  in  progress,  but  it  was  equally  evi- 
dent that  the  amount  of  labor  undertaken  must  be 
beyond  the  possibility  of  accomplishment  without 
a  large  staff  of  observers. 

S.  MERZ  has  the  distinct  impression  that  the 
manufacture  of  the  large  discs  is  a  profound  secret 
resting  with  the  elder  MERZ  and  SIEGMUND.  But 
STEINHEIL,  who  uses  CHANCE'S  glass,  says  it  is 
better  than  MERZ'S;  that  the  latter  follows  the  old 
rule  to  the  letter,  and  compasses  no  new  or  original 
conceptions  for  improving  upon  FRAUNHOFER'S 
method. 

I  saw  MERZ  to-day.  He  is  prepared  to  under- 
take object  glasses  of  eighteen  inches  to  twenty-one- 
inches,  French  measure,  with  ratio  of  aperture  to- 
focal  length  n.  He  thinks  that  a  provision  for  tilt- 
ing, or  otherwise  altering  the  relative  positions  of 
lenses,  is  inexpedient,  a  good  deal  of  trouble,  and 
not  much  use.  The  time  for  making  a  large  lens — 
say  eighteen  inches,  French,  would  not  be  less  than 
a  3^ear  and  a  half,  and  probably  two  or  three.  The 
increase  of  weight  for  a  lens  of  eighteen  inches 
aperture,  21-foot  focus,  Paris,  over  one  of  four- 
teen inches  and  twenty-one  feet,  with  a  cell  in 
both  cases,  would  be  twenty  pounds.  He  can  be 
quite  sure  of  making  a  large  disc  if  sufficient  time 
be  allowed.  Here,  as  in  other  points,  is  an  indica- 
tion of  his  following  a  method  similar  to  CHANCE'S.. 


144.  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

The  thickness  of  a  crown  lens  for  aperture 
eighteen  inches,  focus  twenty-one  feet,  Paris,  would 
be  determined  by  the  accidental  quality  of  the  glass. 
It  is  not  likely,  however,  to  differ  outside  the  lim- 
its— 1.5  inches  to  2.0  inches. 

The  flint  lens  need  not  be  quite  so  thick — viz. 
about  one  third  inch  thick  in  the  center,  and  per- 
haps one  and  one  half  inches  at  the  edge.  Together 
the  lenses  would  be  scarcely  two  inches  thick  at 
thickest. 

There  seems  to  be  no  objection  to  mounting  the 
tube  in  [our]  old  mounting;  but  MERZ  appears  to 
think  more  alteration  necessary  in  the  counterpoises 
than  we  do.  The  bedplate  is  not  solid  for  the 
entire  length  under  the  present  tube,  and  might  be 
adapted  to  a  new  one. 

MERZ  has  not  as  much  power  to  adapt  himself 
to  new  circumstances  as  CLARK  has. 

MEMORANDA    OF   COST   OF    FURNISHING   A   LARGE 
OBJECT    GLASS    (o.    &    S.    MERZ). 

MUNICH,  May  22,  1863. 

Cost  of  object  glass  in  its  cell  simply,  without  tube,  aper- 
ture 18  inches,  Paris  measure.  Focal  length  21  feet, 
Paris, 42,000  florins  =  §18, 000  gold. 

Time  required  to  construct  it, 1J  to  3  years. 

Aperture  18  inches,  focus  27  feet,  36,000  florins  =815,000  gold. 

Tube  and  finder 1,075  florins  =  $450  additional. 

Aperture  19  inches,  focus  14x19  =  22  feet  (about), 

51,000  florins  =  821,900  gold. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  145 

The  1  inch  additional  would  therefore  increase  the  price  by 
about  $3900. 

MERZ,  18.5  inches,  English, $16,000. 

CLARK,  about 8,000  gold. 

N.  B.— All  the  above  prices  are  for  the  apparatus  at  Munich, 
and  do  not  include  transport  to  New  York  or  Boston. 

MUNICH,  May  23d. 

S.  MERZ  called  at  9 : 30.  Last  evening  he  had 
calculated  the  price  for  an  object  glass  eighteen 
inches,  French,  21-foot  focus  =  36,000  florins  = 
$16,000  gold.  This  was  very  close  to  what  I  had 
anticipated;  but  I  was  also  persuaded  that  he 
would  abate  it  decidedly  to  secure  the  work.  I  told 
him  that  CLARK'S  object  glass  had  been  offered  to  us 
for  $11,400  currency  at  gold  premium,  or  $7000  to 
$8000  gold.  He  said  that  on  the  basis  of  an  a 
priori  estimate  their  prices  would  be  as  stated,  and 
as  such  it  might  prove  too  high.  He  proposed  no 
reduction,  and  I  did  not  ask  any.  I  simply  told  him 
of  CLARK'S  offer,  and  mentioned  incidentally  that  I 
was  going  to  see  STEINHEIL.  Soon  after  M.  STEINHEIL 
(the  son)  came  in  to  accompany  me,  and  MERZ  left. 

I  was  greatly  pleased  with  STEINHEIL'S  estab- 
lishment. They  had  made  out  a  list  of  things  to 
show  me.  The  first  was  the  adjustments  of  the 
4-inch  object  glass  of  the  new  construction  (im- 
proved from  GAUSS).  One  of  its  advantages  is 
the  scope  allowed  for  adjustment  by  the  interval 
between  the  lenses. 


146  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

It  will  take  two  years  from  date  of  order  to 
make  an  18-inch  French  aperture.  The  new  con- 
struction will  cost  one  third  more  than  the  old. 

PRICES    FOR   THE    OLD    CONSTRUCTION. 
(7  Florins  =  15  Francs.) 

Aperture.  Focus.  Florins. 

9-inch 9 1,915 

12     "        13 4.220 

15     "        16 7,872 

18     "         20 13,171 

Flint  of  very  high  density  is  apt  to  effloresce. 

MERZ  is  making  an  object  glass  for  the  Hamburg 
equatorial,  9.5-inch  aperture,  9.5-foot  focus  =  4  It 
has  prisms  of  flint,  with  a  very  large  proportion  of 
lead,  showing  the  line  D  of  the  spectrum  triple  by 
a  single  prism  of  60°.  KIRCHHOFP  uses  these  prisms. 

MERZ  has  the  reputation  of  following,  without 
deviation,  FRAUNHOFER'S  methods.  He  is  very 
reticent  as  to  his  processes.  STEINHEIL  polishes 
with  glass  on  glass  and  iron  on  glass.  The  grind- 
ing is  by  hand,  the  polishing  by  machinery.  The 
surfaces  are  frequently  tested. 

I  was  struck  with  the  frankness  of  the  STEIN- 
HEILS,  father  and  son,  and  the  readiness  they  man- 
ifested to  show  me  all  their  processes,  although  I 
had  in  no  way  intimated  that  I  had  any  proposal 
for  a  large  object  glass,  or  any  order  in  contempla- 
tion which  might  induce  them  to  think  it  for  their 
interest  to  be  attentive. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  147 

All  speak  of  STEINHEIL  as  a  man  of  genius  and 
very  eminent.  Besides  being  proficient  in  painting 
and  music,  he  has  lately  given  special  attention  to 
acoustics.  His  two  sons  are  highly  intelligent. 

MUNICH,  May  23d. 

This  evening  I  went  to  VON  MARTINS'  to  dine  with 
Madame  VON  M.,  Doctor  BEZOLD,  a  privat  docent, 
Professor  SEIDEL  and  their  nephew.  AGASSIZ  was  a 
pupil  of  VON  MARTINS.  It  is  plain  that  VON  MAR- 
TINS has  a  sound  estimate  of  his  position  and  char- 
acter. He  is  a  shrewd  man.  I  was  quite  prepared 
for  his  opinion,  expressed  in  the  strongest  terms,  of 
Dr.  ASA  GRAY'S  high  standing.  He  has  a  weakness 
for  collecting  violins,  and  showed  us  a  number  by 
various  makers.  The  peculiar  form  of  the  instru- 
ment is  essential  —  is  many  centuries  old  —  but  the 
reason  no  one  can  tell.  I  returned  home  with  Pro- 
fessor SEIDEL  and  Doctor  BEZOLD. 

PARIS,  June  3d. 

I  went  to-day  to  the  observatory.  The  interior 
is  in  admirable  condition  as  to  appearance,  fine 
polished  oak  floors,  etc.  I  saw  the  principal  instru- 
ments, among  others  the  Foucault  mirror  of  15-inch 
to  20-inch,  French.  One  is  in  contemplation  of 
46-inch,  French.  It  rests  on  an  air  bag,  which  is 
inflated  at  pleasure  until  the  figure  assumed  by 
the  mirror  is  satisfactory.  I  saw,  also,  the  two 
29-inch  discs  by  CHANCE  &  Co.,  the  largest  ever 


148  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

made,  and  examined  them,  though  the  light  was 
not  suitable.  I  was  very  favorably  impressed  with 
the  quality  of  the  glass.  M.  LEVERRIEK  stated  that 
the  crown  lens  was  perfect — not  a  defect  could  be 
found  on  the  closest  inspection.  The  flint  is  very 
good,  but  not  equal  to  the  crown.  STEINHEIL  was 
a  member  of  the  committee  who  examined  one  of 
these  discs  in  the  London  Exhibition  in  1857,  and 
he  told  me  it  was  very  good.  They  have  no  pres- 
ent intention  of  working  these  lenses,  being  occu- 
pied with  the  mirrors  and  with  the  establishment 
of  an  observatory  in  the  south  of  France.  The  new 
transit-circle,  of  the  size  and  after  the  style  of  the 
Greenwich,  has  just  been  mounted,  and  M.  EICHENS 
is  still  occupied  upon  it.  Illumination  of  divisions 
by  means  of  prisms  is  excellent.  Divisions  cut 
with  a  steel  point  look  very  nicely  cut.  As  with 
the  Greenwich  instrument,  there  is  no  provision 
made  for  reversal.  M.  LEVERRIEK  will  not  use 
reflection  from  nadir  for  collimation,  nor  determi- 
nations from  collimators,  "because  in  the  nadir 
and  the  horizon  the  collimation  error  is  not  the 
same  as  in  ordinary  positions  of  the  telescope." 
The  instrument  is  of  cast  iron,  about  twelve  feet 
long.  LEVERRIER  showed  no  liking  for  the  electric 
method  for  ordinary  observations;  thinks  it  no 
more  accurate  than  the  old  method,  and  liable  to 
greater  changes  of  personal  equation. 


Diaries  of  George  Bond  149 

The  clock  used  for  telegraphic  signals  has  a  grid- 
iron pendulum,  and  the  circuit  is  broken  directly 
by  the  pendulum  acting  on  an  inclined  plane,  as 
long  ago  in  America.  In  adopting  the  principle 
of  the  relay  magnet  setting  off  a  strong  by  means 
of  a  weak  circuit,  M.  LEVERRIER  seemed,  as  I 
understood  him,  to  be  under  the  impression  that 
the  idea  was  a  new  one.  I  think  the  standard 
clock  is  not  put  on  any  magnetic  circuit  whatever. 
To-night  it  was  proposed  to  communicate  signals 
for  differences  of  longitude  with  Strasburg  and 
Brest,  and  all  the  preparations  had  been  made. 
M.  LEVERRIER  invited  me  to  be  present,  but  I  was 
convinced  that  this  would  endanger  an  interruption 
of  the  course  of  observations,  and  declined,  subse- 
quently sending  a  note  to  thank  him  for  the  cour- 
tesy, and  explaining  my  motives.  I  know  that  in 
my  case  I  would  thank  no  one  to  disturb  similar 
operations  by  even  his  bare  presence. 


CHAPTER  IV 

SELECTIONS    FROM    THE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 
GEORGE    BOND      1852-1865 

IN  this  chapter  a  selection  from  the  letters  of 
GEORGE  BOND  is  given.  It  is  impossible  to 
print  anything  more  than  a  selection.  Those  letters 
have  been  chosen  which  exhibit  the  activity  of  the 
observatory,  throw  light  on  BOND'S  own  researches, 
or  serve  as  documents  for  that  History  of  Astron- 
omy in  America  which  is  still  to  be  written.  Let- 
ters dealing  with  the  details  of  scientific  work  must 
needs  be  omitted  in  this  place.  They  are  of  inter- 
est to  astronomers,  but  they  require  too  much  eluci- 
dation to  be  read  by  non-professionals.  The  com- 
mentary would  usually  require  to  be  as  extended 
as  the  text.  Occasionally  BOND  has  explained  his 
plans  and  his  work  in  familiar  letters  to  friends, 
and  such  letters  are  always  printed  in  full.  His 
whole  correspondence  contains  singularly  few  para- 
graphs which  do  not  deal  with  scientific  matters. 
The  only  rays  of  humor  come  in  stray  passages  in 
the  letters  of  that  very  accomplished  and  learned 
man,  Doctor  PETERS,  Director  of  the  Hamilton  Col- 
lege Observatory;  and  these  often  cannot  be  quoted, 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       .151 

as  they  frequently  relate  to  very  personal  affairs. 
One  of  BOND'S  most  faithful  correspondents  in  Eng- 
land was  Mr.  R.  C.  CARRINGTON,  Secretary  of  the 
Royal  Astronomical  Society,  1857-62. 

From  1851  onwards  many  letters  passed  between 
them.  Nearly  every  letter  is  of  interest  to  the  pro- 
fessional astronomer,  and  for  that  very  reason  is 
too  technical  to  find  a  place  in  this  collection. 
They  are  full  of  details  relating  to  CARRINGTON'S 
two  important  works  (his  catalogue  of  polar  stars 
and  his  observations  of  the  solar  spots)  and  of  the 
work  going  on  at  Harvard  at  the  same  time.  A 
number  of  very  interesting  letters  exchanged  with 
the  Rev.  W.  R.  DAWES  (mostly  relating  to  the  dusky 
ring  of  Saturn)  must  be  omitted  here  also,  on  account 
of  their  technicality.  The  case  is  similar  with  the 
correspondence  between  BOND  and  Prof.  W.  A.  NOR- 
TON, of  Yale  College  (on  the  theory  of  the  internal 
constitution  of  comets). 

One  may  say  that  nearly  all  of  BOND'S  published 
work  is  to  be  found,  in  embryo,  in  his  correspon- 
dence; and  conversely,  that  there  is  comparatively 
little  in  his  correspondence  which  may  not  be 
found  in  his  printed  memoirs.  Astronomers,  then, 
will  lose  relatively  little  by  the  rigid  exclusion  of 
his  purely  scientific  letters,  which  it  has  been  neces- 
sary to  make.  They  are  in  a  position  to  consult 
his  scientific  writings,  and  to  follow  in  them  the 


152  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

processes  of  his  mind.  The  chief  loss  will  be  to 
nonprofessional  readers  who  are  not  familiar  witli 
his  published  work.* 

During  the  year  1858  BOND  conducted  a  large 
correspondence  with  astronomers  all  over  the  world 
in  relation  to  the  theory  of  the  great  comet  of  1858, 
and  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  all  observations 
and  measures  made  of  the  nucleus  and  envelopes, 
and  all  drawings  of  the  tail.  These  letters  of  BOND'S 
are  highly  interesting,  as  they  show  him  in  the 
very  midst  of  his  work,  and  exhibit  the  processes 
of  his  thinking.  They  are,  however,  entirely  too 
special  to  be  printed  here.  The  correspondence 
of  this  and  other  years  has  been  copied  by  his 
daughters,  who  have  most  kindly  presented  their 
copies  of  the  original  letters  to  and  from  BOND  to 
the  Lick  Observatory,  with  the  sanction  of  the 
Director  of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory,  Pro- 
fessor EDWARD  C.  PICKERING.  The  sheets  have  been 
uniformly  bound  in  volumes  and  deposited  in  our 
library,  where  they  will  be  carefully  preserved  and 
always  available  to  astronomers  in  future  years. 

I  have  omitted  the  many  letters  of  condolence 
written  to  BOND  on  the  death  of  his  father,f  because 


*  A  list  of  his  scientific  writings  is  given  in  Appendix  II. 

t  By  Professors  BRUENNOW,  CASWEL.L,  GIBBES,  HUBBARD, 
MITCHEI>,  NORTON,  PETERS  and  others ;  by  President  or 
ex-Presidents  JOSIAH  QUINCY,  EDWARD  EVKRKTT,  JAMES 
WALKER,  of  Harvard  College;  by  Captains  WHIPPLE  and 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond  •    153 

they  are  chiefly  important  as  throwing  light  on  the 
character  of  the  latter;  and  because  the  biograph- 
ical sketch  printed  in  another  chapter  of  this  book 
gives  a  more  complete  and  symmetric  presentation. 
They,  one  and  all,  exhibit  the  high  esteem  felt  for 
the  character  of  the  elder  BOND  and  friendly  inter- 
est in  the  career  of  his  son. 


PROFESSOR  J.  F.  EXCKE  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

(TRANSLATION.) 

BERLIN,  May  19,  1852. 
Most  Honored  Sir:  — 

Director  HANSEN  writes  to  me  on  May  15th 
to  say  that  you  have  written  to  him  that  the 
method  of  calculating  the  perturbations  from  the 
original  equations  for  rectangular  coordinates, 
which  I  printed  as  new  in  the  November  number 
of  the  Monatsberichte  of  the  Berlin  Academy  had 
been  already  published  by  you  on  May  29,  1849,  in 
the  Memoirs  of  the  American  Academy.  ...  I 
at  once  looked  at  your  paper  "On  Some  Applica- 
tions of  the  Method  of  Mechanical  Quadrations," 
and  found  that  your  method  and  mine  are,  in  fact, 
entirely  identical  in  form.  ...  It  is  not  possible 
for  me  in  the  least  to  contend  as  to  the  priority  [of 
your  paper];  and  I  therefore  hastened  to  make  a 
communication  to  the  Academy  [on  the  subject],  in 
which  your  rights  are  fully  acknowledged.  On  the 
other  hand,  1  can  assure  you  that  I  had  not  the 
slightest  idea  that  you  had  discovered  this  method 
before  me,  otherwise  I  should  have  declared  it  at 


GEORGE  MEADE  and  Colonel  GRAHAM  of  the  Engineer  Corps 
of  the  Army;  by  Captain  WILKES,  Lieutenants  MAURY  and 
GILLJSS  of  the  Navy,  etc. 


154     •          Memorial  of  the  Sands 

once.  ...  In  the  present  case,  before  I  printed 
my  memoir,  I  communicated  my  method,  by-letter 
and  at  length,  to  Hofrath  GAUSS,  Professor  AIRY 
and  Director  HANSEN.  and  since  it  appeared  to  all 
of  these  gentlemen  to  be  new,  I  considered  that 
nothing  similar  could  have  been  published.  You 
will  see  from  this  that  I  could  not  have  had  the 
intention  to  deprive  anyone  of  his  just  rights. 
[The  rest  of  Professor  ENCKE'S  letter  is  taken  up 
with  the  development  of  one  point  of  the  method 
in  a  rigorous  manner,  to  remove  a  doubt  expressed 
by  BOND  in  his  paper.]  .  .  . 

Let  us  hope  that  the  method  will  be  often  em- 
ployed, so  that  graduall}r,  step  by  step,  we  may 
come  to  understand  our  solar  system.  With  the 
highest  respect,  Your  obedient, 

J.  F.  ENCKE, 

Director  of  the  Berlin  Observatory. 


To   HON.  WILLIAM   MITCHELL,  NANTUCKET,  PROM 
GEORGE  BOND. 

CAMBRIDGE,  July  6,  1857. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

I  have  for  some  months  past  been  engaged 
in  preparing  for  publication  my  reports  on  the  Coast 
Survey  Chronometric  Expeditions,  and  my  anxiety 
to  get  finally  through  with  them  has  prevented  me 
from  writing  to  you  earlier  with  relation  to  the 
photographic  experiments  which  have  been  made 
and  are  now  in  progress  at  our  observatory.  Your 
request  to  be  kept  informed  in  matters  of  this  kind 
I  will  now  comply  with,  in  season,  I  hope,  to  be  of 
service  in  posting  up  MARIA*  on  the  subject  before 
she  leaves  for  Europe. 

*Miss  MARIA  MITCHELL,  afterwards  Professor  in  Vassar 
College. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       155 

As  far  as  I  am  informed,  the  attempt  to  photo- 
graph •  the  fixed  stars  by  their  own  light  has  been 
made  nowhere  else  up  to  the  present  date.  The 
rumor  of  a  daguerreotype  of  a  nebula,  made  in  Italy 
some  years  since,  was  unfounded,  and  worth  about 
as  much  as  P.  SEECHI'S  so-called  lunar  photograph 
of  more  recent  date, —  a  photographic  copy  of  an 
India  ink  drawing! 

About  seven  years  since  (July  17,  1850,)  Mr. 
WHIPPLE  obtained  daguerreotype  impressions  from 
the  image  of  a  Lyrse  formed  in  the  focus  of  the 
great  equatorial,  and  subsequently  from  Castor, 
thus  establishing  a  simple,  but  not  uninteresting 
fact  —  the  possibility  of  such  an  achievement.  On 
these  occasions  a  long  exposure  of  one  or  two  min- 
utes was  required  before  the  plate  was  acted  upou 
by  the  light,  and  in  this  interval  the  irregularities 
of  the  Munich  clockwork  were  so  large  as  to  destroy 
the  symmetry  of  the  images,  while  the  smaller 
stars  of  the  second  magnitude  would  not  "  take " 
at  all. 

For  some  years  after  Mr.  WHIPPLE  gave  his 
attention  to  photographs  of  the  moon  and  sun,  and 
the  stars  were  left  to  themselves.  But  improve- 
ments in  the  art  progressed  rapidly;  the  prepara- 
tions were  more  sensitive,  the  artists  had  acquired 
more  experience.  At  the  same  time  the  principle 
of  the  spring-governor  had  been  thoroughly  tested, 
and  found  to  supply  a  great  desideratum  in  im- 
parting a  sidereal  motion  to  the  telescope  incom- 
parably more  uniform  than  that  attained  by  the 
Munich  mechanism.  If  you  have  been  present 
(I  have  not)  at  some  of  the  more  recent  meetings 
of  the  American  Association,  you  may  have  heard 
this  same  spring-governor  (the  same  which  regu- 
lates our  electric  apparatus)  condemned  in  public — 
thoroughly  used  up,  you  may  say, —  by  men  who 
consider  themselves  high  authorities.  After  being 


156  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

annihilated  by  the  demonstrations  of  Professors 
PEIRCE,  BARTLETT,  GOULD,  etc.,  it  is  inexcusably 
perverse  in  continuing  to  do  its  work  perfectly, 
obstinately  defiant  of  theory  and  mathematics,  but 
conforming  exactly  with  good  common  sense. 

On  page  294  of  the  Coast  Survey  Report,  1855, 
Doctor  GOULD,  in  his  anxiety  lest  the  observator}' 
of  Harvard  should  gain  any  credit  for  the  inven- 
tion of  the  governor,  commits  a  ridiculous  blunder 
in  comparing  it  with  the  Munich  clock,  which  it 
resembles  as  it  would  anything  else  that  has  wheels 
—  a  wheelbarrow  or  handcart,  for  instance.  But 
neither  talking  nor  writing  nor  false  reasoning  will 
change  the  nature  of  what  is  true,  and  so  our  clock 
keeps  pace  with  the  stars  perfectly,  and  we  exu'lt  in 
a  final  triumph.  But  to  return,  Messrs.  WHIPPLE 
and  BLACK  recommenced  their  trials  on  other 
images  (taken  by  the  collodion  process)  in  March 
of  the  present  year,  and  they  are  still  in  progress. 
The  expense  of  time,  chemicals,  etc.,  is  far  more 
considerable  than  one  would  have  anticipated  — 
each  night,  in  fact,  opens  new  vistas  requiring 
exploration.  The  field  for  experiment  is  too  vast 
to  be  at  once  occupied,  even  if  we  were  provided 
with  unlimited  means.  But  the  results  already 
obtained  in  the  disconnected  attempts  we  have 
thus  far  been  enabled  to  make,  are  of  the  highest 
interest,  and  suggest  possibilities  in  the  future 
which  one  can  scarcely  trust  himself  to  speculate 
upon.  Could  another  step  in  advance  be  taken 
equal  to  that  gained  since  1850,  the  consequences 
could  not  fail  of  being  of  incalculable  importance 
in  astronomy. 

The  same  object,  a  Lyrse,  which  in  1850  required 
100s  to  impart  its  image  to  the  plate,  and  even 
then  imperfectly,  is  now  photographed  instantane- 
ously with  a  symmetrical  disc  perfectly  fit  for  exact 
micrometer  measurement.  We  then  were  confined 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       157 

to  a  dozen  or  two  of  the  brightest  stars,  whereas 
now  we  take  all  that  are  visible  to  the  naked  eye. 
Even  from  week  to  week  we  can  distinguish  decided 
progress. 

Of  the  beauty  and  convenience  of  the  process 
you  will  scarcely  form  a  correct  idea  without  wit- 
nessing for  yourself,  which  I  hope  you  will  be  able 
to  do  before  long. 

On  a  fine  night  the  amount  of  work  which  can 
be  accomplished,  with  an  entire  exemption  from 
the  trouble,  vexation  and  fatigue  which  seldom  fail 
to  attend  upon  ordinary  observations,  is  aston- 
ishing. 

The  plates  once  secured,  can  be  laid  by  for 
future  study  by  daylight  and  at  leisure.  The  rec- 
ord is  there,  with  no  room  for  doubt  or  mistakes  as 
to  its  fidelity.  As  yet,  however,  we  obtain  images 
only  from  stars  to  the  sixth  magnitude,  inclusive. 
To  be  of  essential  service  to  astronomy,  it  is  indis- 
pensable that  great  improvements  be  yet  made, 
and  these,  I  feel  sure,  will  not  be  accomplished 
without  a  deal  of  experimenting.  To  do  this  prop- 
erly we  need  for  at  least  a  year  to  come  the  services 
of  the  excellent  artists  who  have  hitherto  literally 
given  us  their  assistance,  expensive  materials  and 
instruments.  They  should  be  liberally  remuner- 
ated, and  feel  at  liberty,  when  the  prospect  is  good 
for  a  fair  night,  to  give  up  their  day's  business  and 
come  to  the  work  fresh  and  fit  to  spend  the  whole 
night  at  the  telescope.  As  matters  are  at  present, 
they  come  to  the  observatory  thoroughly  exhausted, 
for  it  generally  happens  that  the  best  nights  are 
preceded  by  their  busiest  days.  They  make  no 
charge  for  their  time,  costly  chemicals  and  instru- 
ments, and  as  they  are  volunteers,  we"  have  no  claim 
on  them,  and  cannot,  in  conscience,  require  more 
of  men  utterly  exhausted  .than  they  have  done. 
But  could  we  but  press  this  matter  on,  we  should 


158  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

soon  be  able  to  say  what  we  can  and  what  we  can- 
not accomplish  in  stellar  photography — 'the  latter 
limits  we  certainly  have  not  reached  as  yet.  At 
present  the  chief  object  of  attention  must  be  to 
improve  the  sensitiveness  of  the  plates,  to  which  I 
am  assured  by  high  authorities  in  chemistry  there 
is  scarcely  any  limit  to  be  put  in  point  of  theory. 
Suppose  we  are  able  finally  to  obtain  pictures 
of  seventh  magnitude  stars.  It  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  on  some  lofty  mountain  and  in  a  purer 
atmosphere  we  might,  with  the  same  telescope, 
include  the  eighth  magnitude.  To  increase  the 
size  of  the  telescope  threefold  in  aperture  is  a  prac- 
ticable thing  if  the  money  can  be  found.  This  would 
increase  the  brightness  of  the  stellar  images,  say 
eightfold,  and  we  should  be  able  then  to  photograph 
all  the  stars  to  the  tenth  and  eleventh  magnitude, 
inclusive.  There  is  nothing  then  so  extravagant 
in  predicting  a  future  application  of  photography  to 
stellar  astronomy  on  a  most  magnificent  scale.  It 
is  even  at  this  moment  simply  a  question  of  find- 
ing one  or  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  make 
the  telescope  with  and  to  keep  up  the  experiments. 

What  more  admirable  method  can  be  imagined 
for  the  study  of  the  orbits  of  the  fixed  stars,  and 
for  resolving  the  problem  of  their  annual  parallax 
than  this  would  be  if  we  could  obtain  the  impres- 
sions of  the  telescopic  stars  to  the  tenth  magnitude! 
Consider,  too,  that  groups  of  ten,  or  fifty  even,  if 
so  many  occur  in  the  compass  of  the  field,  will 
be  taken  as  quickly  as  one  alone  would  be,  perhaps 
in  a  few  seconds  only,  and  each  mapped  down  with 
unimpeachable  accuracy ! 

It  would  be  useless  for  me  to  attempt  to  describe 
in  a  letter  the  processes  and  results  in  detail.  Can 
you  not  come  up  and  see  for  yourself?  I  am  going 
away  about  the  15th  of  August,  and  till  then  we 
shall  be  at  work  on  the  subject.  Please  say  to 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        159 

MARIA  that  two  or  three  copies  of  our  volume  on 
Saturn  will  be  sent  to  her  as  soon  as  they  come 
from  the  binders  (they  were  promised  to-day),  and 
some  veritable  star  photographs.  Please  give  my 
regards  to  her  and  to  other  members  of  your 
family,  and  believe  me,  Very  truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 
Hon.  WM.  MITCHELL. 

P.  S. — I  find  I  have  forgotten  to  allude  to  two 
important  features  in  stellar  photography  —  one  is 
that  the  intensity  and  size  of  the  images  taken  in 
connection  with  the  length  of  time  during  which 
the  plate  has  been  exposed  measures  the  relative 
magnitudes  of  the  stars.  The  other  point  is,  that 
the  measurements  of  distances  and  angles  of  posi- 
tion of  the  double  stars  from  the  plates,  we  have 
ascertained  by  many  trials  on  our  earliest  impres- 
sions, to  be  as  exact  as  the  best  micrometric  work. 
Our  subsequent  pictures  are  much  more  perfect, 
and  should  do  better  still.  G.  P.  B. 


SIR  G.  B.  AIRY  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

ROYAL  OBSERVATORY,  GREENWICH,         ) 
LONDON,  S.  E.,  1857,  November  6.  J 
Dear  Sir: — 

I  have  to  thank  you  very  heartily  for  a  paper 
on  the  use  of  equivalent  numbers  in  the  applica- 
tion of  the  method  of  least  squares.  I  had  used 
the  method  myself  on  some  few  occasions,  but  I 
never  published  anything  on  it,  and  so  far  as  I 
know  no  other  person  has  published  it. 

Your  paper,  however,  has  delighted  me;  it  is  the 
most  reasonable  treatise  on  the  subject  that  I  have 
seen  for  a  long  time. 

The  example  of  the  substitution  of  round 
numbers  for  exact  numbers  is  very  clear.  The- 


160  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

exhibition  of  the  great  alteration  produced  in 
the  resulting  roots  of  the  equations,  which,  as  you 
demonstrate,  are  very  nearly  as  trustworthy  as  those 
given  by  the  exact  theoretical  numbers,  will  at  first 
shock  many  readers,  but  cannot  fail  ultimately  to 
interest  them.  I  am,  dear  sir, 

Your  faithful  servant, 
(Signed)  G.  B.  AIRY. 


FROM  J.  HOMER  LANE  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  October  23, 1858. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

It  has  occurred  to  me,  and  independently  to 
Mr.  TAYLOR,  a  chief  examiner  in  the  Patent  Office, 
that  a  stereoscopic  image  of  the  moon  might  be 
obtained  by  taking  advantage  of  her  librations.* 
Not  only  might  we  expect  the  stereoscopic  effect  of 
solidity,  but  Mr.  TAYLOR  well  suggests  that  a  stere- 
oscopic view,  by  the  increased  power  of  interpreta- 
tion it  will  afford,  may  even  lead  to  new  discoveries 
respecting  the  physical  peculiarities  of  the  moon's 
surface.  We  think,  therefore,  the  attempt  to  mul- 
tiply stereoscopic  views  will  be  well  worth  consider- 
able pains-,  and  understanding  that  you  have  been 
paying  attention  to  the  production  of  photographs 
of  the  moon,  we  thought  proper  to  address  you, 
witli  the  hope  that  you  may  have  it  in  your  way 
to  make  experiments  on  the  subject.  It  is  a  matter 
which  will,  of  course,  require  considerable  time,  it 
being  necessary  to  select  two  corresponding  epochs, 
which,  while  they  present  to  the  observer  in  suffi- 
cient degree  the  effect  of  libration,  also  have  the 
sun  at  the  zenith  of  the  same  point  of  the  moon's 
surface,  that  the  illumination  may  be  identical.  I 


[*See  a  paper  by  Doctor  DE  LA  RUE,  in  Report  B.  A.  A.  S., 
1859,  p.  148.  J 


161 

need  not  enlarge  on  details,  the  mere  suggestion 
being  sufficient.  It  may  not  be  impossible  to  make 
a  selection  from  pictures  already  obtained,  if  they 
are  sufficiently  numerous. 

Respectfully  yours, 

J.  HOMER  LANE. 


To  DR.  J.  H.  ARMSBY,  TRUSTEE  OF  THE  DUDLEY 
OBSERVATORY,  ALBANY,  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

CAMBRIDGE,  January  20,  1859. 
Dear  Sir: — 

I  am  fully  sensible  of  the  honor  conferred  by 
the  invitation  of  the  trustees  of  the  Dudley  Observ- 
atory, communicated  in  your  letter  of  the  17th 
inst.,  but  must  decline  accepting  it.* 

The  present  board  of  trustees  I  consider  perfectly 
competent  to  manage  all  the  affairs  of  the  institu- 
tion properly  coming  under  their  charge.  An 
astronomer  fit  to  direct  its  scientific  operations 
can  stand  in  no  need  of  a  special  "scientific  coun- 
cil," and  may  find  their  control  offensive  or  other- 
wise troublesome. 

You  will  readily  infer  from  the  expression  of 
these  views  the  reasons  of  my  unwillingness  to  act 
as  a  member  of  the  proposed  conference.  But  that 
there  may  be  no  room  for  misapprehension,  allow 
me  to  add  that  I  have  full  confidence  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  gentlemen  named  in  your  letter,  and 
believe  that  Professor  MITCHEL,  who  is  understood 
to  be  the  choice  of  the  trustees  as  director,  will  fill 


*  Doctor  AKMSBY'S  letter  is  not  to  be  found  among  BOND'S 
papers.  It  was  an  invitation  to  be  present  at  Albany  at  a  con- 
ference between  the  trustees  of  the  Dudley  Observatory  and 
invited  astronomers,  to  consult  upon  the  future  policy  of  the 
Dudley  Observatory,  from  the  directorship  of  which  Doctor 
GOULD  had  lately  been  removed. 


162  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

that  office  with  honor  to  the  observatory  and  to  the 
satisfaction  of  those  who  have  contributed  to  it& 
establishment.  Very  truly, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


FROM  PRESIDENT  WALKER,  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE, 
TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

QUINCY  STREET,  February  28,  1859. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  the 
corporation  on  Saturday  elected  you  to  succeed 
your  father  as  Director  of  the  Observatory  and 
Phillips  Professor  of  Astronomy.  The  election 
must  be  confirmed  by  the  Overseers,  who  will  meet 
on  Wednesday,  March  9th.* 

Faithfully  yours, 

JAMES  WALKER. 


GEORGE  BOND  TO  HON.  WM.  MITCHELL. 

March  10,  1859. 

Now  that  my  position  at  the  observatory  is; 
settled,  I  wish  to  compose  matters,  if  possible,  with 
Professors  PEIRCE  and  BACHE,  so  far  as  can  be 
without  a  compromise  of  independence.  This  con- 
tention and  perpetual  hostility  of  interests  is  a 
miserable  occupation  for  men  who  are  capable  of 
better  things.  G.  P.  BOND. 


*The  election  was  duly  confirmed;  BOND  was,  at  this  time,, 
thirty-four  years  of  age. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       163 

To   PROFESSOR    BENJAMIN    PEIRCE   FROM   GEORGE 
BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,  \ 
March  12,  1859.  j 

Dear  Sir:  — 

You  do  not  need  to  be  reminded  that  the 
mutual  confidence  and  friendship  which  once  sub- 
sisted between  us  has  for  some  time  past  been  dis- 
turbed, if  not  wholly  interrupted. 

There  can  be  little  use  in  dwelling  upon  the 
circumstances  which  have  occasioned  this  unfortu- 
nate difference;  perhaps  it  would  be  better  if  they 
were  forgotten. 

My  object  now  is  to  propose  and  to  open  the 
way  for  a  return  to  a  better  state  of  feeling. 

No  one  can  appreciate  more  highly  than  I  do 
the  advantages  which  would  accrue  to  the  observa- 
tory from  your  cooperation  with  it.  Both  your 
position  and  attainments  are  such  as  to  enable  you 
to  render  most  valuable  aid,  and  they  must  always 
ensure  a  respectful  consideration  of  your  opinion 
and  advice. 

Any  assistance  which  I  can  give  in  aid  of  your 
scientific  investigations,  by  furnishing  the  results 
of  observations,  or  in  other  ways,  shall  be  freely 
extended,  but  a  cordial  and  earnest  cooperation  can 
be  brought  about  only  by  a  mutual  consent  to  give 
up  past  differences.  On  my  part  nothing  shall  be 
wanting  to  accomplish  that  end. 

Respectfully  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 

[No  reply  to  this  letter  is  to  be  found  in  Profes- 
sor BOND'S  papers,  and  it  is  believed  that  none  was 
received]. 

Among  many  letters  of  congratulation  the 'fol- 
lowing, from  the  Hon.  EDWARD  EVERETT,  formerly 


164  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

President  of  Harvard  College,  is  printed  as  repre- 
sentative: — 

FROM  HON.  EDWARD  EVERETT  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

BOSTON,  14th  of  March,  1859. 
My  Dear  Sir: — 

Your  favor  of  the  8th  came  duly  to  hand 
while  I  was  in  New  York.  I  am  greatly  indebted 
to  you  for  it,  and  will  endeavor  to  make  use  of  the 
materials  so  kindly  furnished  by  you  in  such  a 
way  as  not  to  discredit  your  father's  memory. 

I  hope  it  is  not  too  late  for  me  to  congratulate 
you  on  being  chosen  in  his  place.  I  took  a  great 
interest  in  the  election,  which  at  one  time  seemed 
to  be  threatened  with  opposition,  and  in  common 
with  other  friends  exercised  what  influence  I 
possessed  to  procure  a  right  result,  which,  however, 
I  must  say,  was  brought  about  by  the  merit  and 
undoubted  qualification  of  the  successful  candidate. 
Wishing  you  much  happiness  and  continued 
success  in  your  labors,  I  remain,  dear  sir, 

Sincerely  your  friend, 

EDWARD  EVERETT. 


FROM  PROF.  C.  C.  FELTON  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

CAMBRIDGE,  March  23,  1859. 
My  Dear  Sir:  — 

Mr.  BUTLER*  stated  in  his  speech  in  opposition 
to  the  grant  for  the  museum,  that  "  the  people  of  the 
State  had  built  the  observatory;  but  that  though  it 
was  built  with  their  own  money,  it  had  been  shut 
in  their  faces,  and  that  a  letter  had  been  written 
by  a  member  of  the  legislature,  asking  permission 

*  BENJAMIN  F.  BUTLER? 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        165 

to   visit   it,  but   the   letter  had  never   even   been 
answered." 

As  all  the  first  part  of  the  statement  I  know  to 
be  a  lie,  I  infer  that  the  story  about  the  letter  is 
also.  But  I  do  not  venture  to  contradict  it  without 
authority.  Will  you  have  the  kindness  to  inform 
me  whether  any  such  letter  has  ever  been  received? 
I  have  some  thought  of  answering  his  slanders 
generally.  Yours  very  truly, 

C.  C.  FULTON. 


To  PROF.  C.  C.  FELTON  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,  "I 
March  24,  1859.  / 

Dear  Sir:  — 

In  reply  to  your  note  of  yesterday,  allow  me 
to  say  that  no  letter,  to  my  knowledge,  has  ever 
been  received  by  my  father  or  by  the  authorities  of 
the  college,  certainly  none  by  myself,  from  any  mem- 
ber of  the  present  legislature,  asking  permission  to 
visit  the  observatory.  A  communication  or  an  inti- 
mation of  the  kind  addressed  to  either  of  us  would 
assuredly  have  met  with  proper  respect. 

It  is  possible  that  among  the  numbers  whose 
curiosity  to  see  the  famous  comet  of  October  last, 
through  the  great  telescope,  was  unavoidably  dis- 
appointed, there  may  have  been  members  of  the 
legislature,  though  I  can  recall  no  such  instance; 
but  they  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  their  exclu- 
sion on  an  occasion  when  both  our  college  officers 
and  our  contributors,  who,  and  not  "  the  people  of 
the  State,"  have  built  the  observatory,  uniformly 
manifested  their  consideration  and  good  sense  by 
relinquishing  greatly  superior  claims. 

In  both  the  particulars  mentioned  in  your  note, 
Mr.  BUTLER  exposes  himself  to  a  rebuke,  which  I 


166  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

hope  you  will  not  omit  the  opportunity  of  adminis- 
tering. Yours  truly, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


To  PROF.  W.  A.  NORTON  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

May  5,  1859. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

Your  letter  of  the  12th  ult.  came  duly  to  hand. 
I  agree  with  you,  that  the  axis  stripe  of  Donati 
does  not  accord  with  the  idea  of  a  tail  formed  like 
a  cone  with  a  large  hollow  within.  It  is  more 
probable  that  it  is  much  flattened  and  was  pre- 
sented broadways  to  us.  This,  at  all  events,  would 
best  account  for  the  sharp  outlines  of  the  stripe. 

If  we  consider  how  small  the  nucleus  is,  and 
the  amount  of  light  reflected  from  the  tail,  which 
is  constantly  being  replenished  from  the  nucleus, 
it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  particles  of  the  tail 
must  be  exceedingly  minute  in  mass,  but  quite 
considerable  in  the  aggregate  of  their  surfaces.  It 
is  equally  evident  that  they  are  under  the  influence 
of  some  other  force  than  gravitation. 

We  have,  then,  in  the  tails  of  comets  an  excess- 
ively minute  subdivision  of  matter  accompanied 
by  a  deviation  in  the  motion  of  the  constituent 
particles  from  the  gravitation  path.  As  the  only 
necessary  consequence  of  subdivision  is  increased 
surface,  the  simplest  inference  from  the  facts  seems 
to  be  that  surface  as  well  as  mass  is  concerned  in 
the  mutual  action  of  the  heavenly  bodies.  The 
surface  force  may  be  universal,  but  still,  in  most 
cases,  insensible  to  our  means  of  observation. 

There  are  difficulties  in  the  way  of  determining 
the  mass  of  the  nucleus  as  you  propose.  The 
force  may  not  be  common  to  all  the  particles  of  the 
sun  and  nucleus.  And,  moreover,  the  nucleus  is  not 
in  the  focus  of  a  parabola,  having  its  vertex  at  the 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       167 

vertex  of  one  of  the  well-defined  envelopes  (though 
I  think  it  approaches  this  condition  for  the  outer 
nebulosity),  and  representing  as  nearly  as  possible 
the  outline  of  the  envelope.  The  outline  of  the 
latter,  in  its  most  definite  stage,  approaches  to  a 
semicircle  on  the  side  next  the  sun,  with  the 
nucleus  in  the  center,  rather  than  to  a  parabola. 
This  fact,  taken  in  connection  with  the  uniform 
rise  of  the  envelope  towards  the  sun,  looks  more 
like  a  rise  of  strata  of  mist  in  an  atmosphere  than 
anything  else,  and  does  not  accord  with  the  theory 
on  which  you  have  computed  the  mass,  if  I  rightly 
apprehend  it. 

I  should  add  that  the  idea  of  a  surface  force  was 
first  suggested  to  me  by  a  paragraph  in  your  arti- 
cle, p.  102.  Very  truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


FROM  GEORGE  BOND  TO  R.  C.  CARRINGTON. 

OF  HARVARD 
June  11,  1859. 


OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,  \ 


Dear  Sir:  — 

I  have  just  received  yours  of  the  26th  ult., 
and  am  so  much  interested  in  the  photograph 
which  you  had  the  kindness  to  send  that  I  cannot 
help  sitting  down  at  once  to  thank  you  for  the 
favor.  Here  is  a  very  singular  fact.  The  camera 
lens,  with  its  short  focus,  affords  a  strong  image  of 
the  nebulosity  of  the  tail  [of  DONATI'S  Comet]  at  a 
point  where  the  intensity  of  the  light  was  probably 
a  thousand  times  less  than  that  of  the  nucleus. 
And  this,  too,  in  seven  seconds;  whereas,  with  our 
object  glass  of  probably  eight  or  ten  times  the  area, 
we  barely  obtained  an  impression  of  the  nucleus 
itself  in  360  seconds  on  the .  following  day,  Septem- 
ber 28th.  Assuming  the  camera  to  have  12-inch 
focus  and  five-inch  aperture,  the  intensity  of  its  image 


168  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

of  an  object  would  not  be  so  much  as  sixty  times 
greater  than  the  intensity  of  an  image  of  the  same 
object  in  the  focus  of  our  object  glass.  Now,  in  the 
case  of  star  images,  I  have  found  that  the  time  of 
exposure  is  nearly  in  the  inverse  ratio  of  the  inten- 
sity of  the  light — that  is,  by  increasing  the  area  of 
the  object  glass  twice,  the  image  forms  in  half 
the  time,  so  that  we  should  conclude  that  in  the 
camera  the  nucleus  would  form  an  image,  if  of  a 
sensible  area,  in  ^  of  the  time  required  in  the  large 
telescope,  or  in-^*  =  68;  but  that  the  incomparably 
fainter  nebulosity  of  the  remote  parts  of  the  tail 
should  give  so  distinct  an  image  in  only  seven 
seconds  is  a  very  interesting  fact.* 


I  have  long  thought  that  there  was  a  kind  of 
sympathy  in  the  photographic  action,  light  acting 
at  one  point  rendering  neighboring  points  more 
sensitive,  and  that  possibly  a  star  image  slightly 
out  of  focus  might  "take"  more  quickly  than  when 
reduced  to  a  minimum  area.  If  this  thing  be  true, 
then  a  poor  telescope  would  be  better  than  a  good 
one,  which  would  be  introducing  a  new  principle 
in  practical  economy  !f 


Yours  very  truly, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


*  Until  this  letter  became  known,  the  historians  of  astronom- 
ical photography  supposed  the  first  comet  photographs  to  be 
those  of  1881. 

t  BOND'S  "principle"  can  be  illustrated  by  photographing 
the  Milky  Way  with  objectives  which  are  well  and  poorly  cor- 
rected, respectively ;  or  by  using  a  good  lens  in  focus  and  then 
slightly  out  of  focus.  The  amount  of  false  nebulosity  increases 
with  the  badness  of  the  lens  employed  or  with  the  inaccuracy 
of  its  focusing. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       169 

To  WILLIAM  LASSELL  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE, 

CAMBRIDGE,  U.  S.,  June  16, 1859. 
Dear  Sir:— 

It  is  gratifying  to  hear  that  your  giant  tele- 
scope is  so  far  advanced.  Can  you  not  make  some 
provision,  while  it  is  being  completed,  for  applying 
it  to  celestial  photography?  .  .  . 

With  my  best  remembrances  to  the  members  of 
vour  family,  Very  truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


FROM  DR.  F.  BRUENNOW  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

ANN  ARBOR,  June  23,  1859. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

Doctor  PETERS  writes  to  me  that  you  com- 
plained to  him  of  the  scarcity  of  good  standard 
stars  for  your  zones. 

It  would  give  me  great  pleasure  if  my  observa- 
tions can  be  of  any  service  to  you,  and  if  you  send 
jne  a  list  of  such  stars  as  you  want  to  Albany,  I 
will  determine  their  positions  carefully,  as  soon  as 
they  can  be  observed  in  the  meridian.  With  great- 
est regard,  Yours  ever  truly, 

BRUENNOW. 


To  GENERAL  EDWARD  SABINE  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE, 

CAMBRIDGE,  U.  S.,  June  24, 1859. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

In  a  small  book  "  On  the  Calculation  of  Solar 
Eclipses,"  by  WHISTON,  London,  1724,  there  is  an 


170  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

account  of  some  determinations  of  dip  and  varia- 
tion made  at  Boston,  N.  E.,  in  1722.  WHISTON 
promised  the  publication  of  the  details,  and  says 
that  the  original  journals  are  in  the  hands  of 
"SAMUEL  MOLYNEUX,  Esq.,  Secretary  to  the  Prince 
of  Wales,  and  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society." 

Do  you  know  whether  these  or  any  other  as 
early  determinations  of  the  dip  in  America  are 
accessible,  whether  in  print  or  in  manuscript? 

WHISTON  gives  74°  45'  as  the  dip  at  London,  and 
68°  22'  at  Boston ;  about  6°  less  than  our  present 
value.  His  accounts,  however,  are  obscure  as  to 
the  degree  of  reliance  which  can  be  placed  on  the 
results.  Respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

"G.  P.  BOND. 


GENERAL  SABINE  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

LONDON,  July  18,  1859. 
My  Dear  Sir:  — 

...  I  will  not  fail  to  make  the  inquiry 
you  suggest  about  WHISTON'S  original  journals  for 
dip  and  variation  at  Boston  in  1722.  His  (WHIS- 
TON'S) dip  in  London,  in  1720,  agreed  remarkably* 
well  with  GRAHAM'S  determination  in  1724,  which 
was  74°  42'.  I  remain  faithfully  yours, 

EDWARD  SABINE. 


To  DR.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,  \ 
CAMBRIDGE,  July  12,  1859.  / 

Dear  Sir:  — 

The  comet  photograph  is  a  good  illustration 
of  the  importance  of  experimenting  further  in  this 


field.  With  our  large  telescope  we  could  only  pro- 
cure an  image  of  the  nucleus  in  6m,  while  this 
artist,  with  a  small  camera,  got  a  picture  of  the 
vastly  fainter  portions  of  the  tail  in  but  a  few 
seconds. 

The  arrangement  by  which  both  MITCHEL  and 
BRUENNOW  remain  directors,  each  of  two  observa- 
tories, seems  an  odd  one.  .  .  . 

Very  truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


FROM  PROF.  W.  A.  NORTON  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

NEW  HAVEN,  July  15,  1859. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

I  learn  that  Professor  PEIRCE,  at  a  recent 
meeting  of  the  Boston  Academy,  communicated  a 
determination  of  the  density  of  the  nucleus  of 
DONATI'S  Comet,  and  criticised  my  calculations  or 
theoretical  views.  Will  you  do  me  the  favor  to 
inform  me  of  the  substance  of  his  objections?  I 
do  not  see  how  he  can  have  made  such  a  calcula- 
tion without  making  use  of  my  theory  of  repulsion 
exerted  by  the  nucleus.  I  take  it  he  does  not 
claim  to  be  the  author  of  this  theory.  I  under- 
stand that  he  makes  the  density  of  the  nucleus 
of  DONATI'S  Comet  9,  instead  of  from  5  to  6,  as  I 
do.  .  .  .  Very  truly  yours, 

W.  A.  NORTON. 


FROM  REV.  W.  R.  DA  WES  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

HOPEFIELD  LODGE,  \ 

HADDENHAM  THAME,  28th  July,  1859.  j 

My  Dear  Sir:  — 

As  our  friend,  Mr.  ALVAN  CLARK  has,  to  our 
great  regret,  left  us,  and  sails  from  Liverpool  on 


172  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Saturday,  the  30th,  I  am  requesting  him  to  take 
charge  of  the  accompanying  rough  copies  of  my 
sketches  of  DONATI'S  Comet. 


I  am  greatly  obliged  to  you  for  the  copy  of  your 
"  Account  of  DONATI'S  Comet."  I  have  perused  it 
with  intense  interest.  The  illustrations  are  also 
excellent. 

I  feel  much  gratified  that  you  consider  my  obser- 
vations of  the  cornet  useful.  ...  I  am  greatly 
pleased  with  the  new  equatorial  which  Mr.  CLARK 
has  brought  me  and  erected  in  my  observatory. 
The  ingenious  application  of  your  esteemed  father's 
"  spring-governor  "  seems  to  produce  an  equability 
of  movement  in  the  driving  clock  much  superior 
to  anything  which  I  had  previously  seen. 

Believe  me  to  remain,  my  dear  sir, 

Yours  very  truly, 

W.  R.  DA  WES. 


FROM  PROFESSOR  JOSEPH  HENRY  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

CAMBRIDGE,  August  26,  1859. 
My  Dear  Professor :  — 


If  you  find  you  cannot  procure  the  means  of 
preparing  and  publishing  your  paper  on  the  comet, 
write  to  me  on  the  subject,  and  I  will  make  an 
arrangement  for  the  expenses  of  the  work. 

It  would  give  me  much  pleasure  to  see  you  or 
any  of  your  family  at  Washington. 

With  kind  regards  to  your  mother,  brother  and 
sister,  I  remain,  Very  truly  your  friend, 

JOSEPH  HENRY. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        173 

To  DR.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,  ) 

CAMBRIDGE,  Mass.,  September  27, 1859.  / 
Dear  Sir:  — 

I  have  just  written  to  GILLISS  on  the  subject 
of  the  new  parallax  expedition* — that  I  have  no 
confidence  that  more  will  come  of  it  than  a  satis- 
factory confirmation  of  ENCKE'S  value.  If  the 
twenty-eight  direct  comparisons  with  northern 
micrometer  observations  (cited  in  the  Report  Astr. 
Ex.,  p.  Ixx)  are  deserving  of  no  confidence  (see  the 
remark  at  foot  of  p.  Ixx),  then  ten  times  as  many, 
equally  bad,  would  not  contribute  any  important 
accession  to  our  present  knowledge  of  this  element. 

Very  truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


To  AUGUST  SoNNTAGf  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  H.  C.,  January  9,  1860. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

Enclosed  you  will  find  observations  of  Mnen- 
osyne,  with  which  your  ephemeris  agrees  as  well, 
probably,  as  you  could  hope. 

If  it  were  not  too  much  like  a  waste  of  time,  it 
might  be  well  to  overhaul  the  report  on  the  Chili 
Expedition. 

The  assertion  that  its  failure  is  due  to  the  want 
of  northern  cooperation  has  not  the  slightest  founda- 
tion. The  thirty  results,  on  p.  Ixx,  must  be  reckoned 
as  fair  specimens  of  the  work  which  an  unlimited 


*  Proposed  at  this  time,  but  not  carried  out. 
t  Assistant  Astronomer  at  the  Dudley  Observatory;  Astron- 
omer to  Doctor  KANE'S  Arctic  Expedition,  1853-55. 


174  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

cooperation  could  accomplish.  Now  it  is  a  fair 
statement  to  say  that  if  thirty  observations  of  aver- 
age goodness  have  "  such  a  large  mean  error  and 
striking  nonaccordance  as  to  render  any  reliance 
upon  them  impossible"  (Rep.,  p.  Ixx),  then  an 
unlimited  number  will  not  furnish  a  result  appre- 
ciably better  than  the  first  thirty. 

Look  at  the  diameters  of  the  wires  of  the  Santi- 
ago equatorial  by  daylight  and  at  night.  The 
diameters  of  Mars  and  Venus!  The  rejection  of 
the  Athens  observation,  because  Doctor  GOULD  has 
applied  the  parallax  with  a  wrong  sign,  and  the 
wholesale  rejection  of  northern  and  southern  obser- 
vations together,  is  the  adopted  result. 

But  I  have  no  room  for  more. 

Truly  yours, 
(Signed)  G.  P.  BOND. 

For  your  own  edification,  just  assume  the  prin- 
ciples for  the  assignment  of  weights  given  in  Rep. 
Chili  Exped.,  p.  ccliii  —  which  seems  reasonable, — 
and  try  how  much  the  weight  of  the  final  result 
could  have  been  increased  by  an  infinite  number 
of  northern  observations. 

Is  it  not  as  follows? 

Northern  Obs.  239.        Southern  564 Act.  Wt.  591 

"        00  564 "         598 

"CO  "  oo "600 


To  DOCTOR  F.  BRUENNOW  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

'ORY  OF  HARVARD 
February  21,  1860. 


OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,  ) 


Dear  Sir:  — 

The  results  of  our  photographic  experiments 
conduct  to  a  very  interesting  suggestion  —  viz.  that 
Jupiter  gives  strong  indications  of  analogy  to  the 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        175 

sun  in  physical  constitution  of  atmosphere,  and  is, 
chemically  speaking,  self-luminous,  or  approaches 
that  condition  so  remarkably  that  this  inference  is 
the  most  probable  one  that  can  be  drawn. 

The  comparison  of  the  photographic  peculiari- 
ties of  Jupiter,  sun  and  moon  led  me  to  inquire 
into  the  analogies  existing  between  the  belts  and 
the  spots  of  Jupiter,  and  the  distribution  of  th& 
solar  spots  in  zones  or  belts.  Both  bodies  have 
faculre.  The  resemblances  in  point  of  distribution 
and  proper  motion  are  very  striking.  The  idea 
then  occurred,  that  if  chemical  action  were  going^ 
on  at  the  surface  of  Jupiter,  there  would  be  a  reflex 
action  between  it  and  the  sun;  the  sympathy  we 
recognize  so  universally  in  other  connections.  I 
found  that  the  maxima  and  minima  of  the  solar 
spots  occur  at  about  the  perihelia  and  aphelia  of 
Jupiter  as  far  back  as  1826,  but  beyond  this  there 
is  no  satisfactory  coincidence  with  WOLF'S  period. 
In  conversation  with  Mr.  SAFFORD,  I  had  planned 
an  investigation  of  the  representation  of  the  solar 
spot  curves  by  periodic  terms  of  sine  and  cos,  of  true 
anomalies  of  all  planets,  the  coefficients  to  vary 
as^.  To  my  surprise,  last  night  I  found  that  WOLF 
had,  from  altogether  different  considerations,  sus- 
pected some  such  relations. 

Optically  Jupiter  has  certainly  a  higher  intrin- 
sic brilliancy  than  it  should  have.  I  estimate  it 
at  ^5=  I  of  that  of  the  moon.  Next  full  moon  I  will 
test  this  by  a  better  method.  I  wish  you  would 
make  some  estimates. 

There  is  another  very  singular  matter  bearing 
on  this  question.  For  ten  or  twelve  years  past  my 
father  and  myself  have  studied  the  phenomena  of 
the  transits  of  Jupiter's  satellites.  We  have  seen 
them  projected  on  the  disc  as  black  as  the  shadows. 
It  is  impossible  to  admit  the  explanation  that  this 
results  from  dark  spots  on  the  satellites,  for  reasons- 


176  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

which  I  cannot  stop  to  explain,  but  which  will 
readily  occur  to  you  when  you  study,  and  above 
all  see,  the  phenomenon.  The  first  satellite  I  have 
never  seen  black,  but  only  dusky  or  dark;  when  on 
a  dark  belt,  it  disappears.  All  the  satellites  enter 
and  pass  off  bright,  even  when  fairly  entered  on 
the  disc,  showing  the  great  contrast  between  the 
central  and  marginal  parts  of  the  disc  in  point  of 
brilliancy.  The  eye  alone  is  quite  unequal  to 
recognizing  the  full  strength  of  the  contrast. 

There  is  one  objection  to  the  hypothesis  of  Jupi- 
ter's self-luminosity,  besides  the  intensity  of  the 
shadows  of  the  satellites,  and  that  is  their  complete 
disappearance  in  eclipse,  though  they  should  be 
illuminated  by  the  native  light  of  Jupiter  on  the 
side  opposite  the  sun.  However,  I  find  the  amount 
of  this  illumination  is  small,  although  the  area  of 
Jupiter's  surface  presented  to  the  first  satellite  is 
1400  times  that  of  our  full  moon,  yet  the  total 
quantity  of  light  reflected  will  amount  at  best  to 
only  j\  of  that  which  the  satellite  gets  from  the  sun. 
However  the  question  of  optical  or  visible  self- 
luminosity  may  turn  out  the  chemical  side  of  the 
question  is  still  stronger. 

I  mean  to  try  whether  the  aurora,  which  is  the 
earth's  native  light,  has  not  a  similar  property,  viz. 
more  of  chemical  than  of  luminous  energy,  as  we 
should  anticipate  from  analogy,  if  Jupiter's  light  be 
auroral. 

I  do  not  advance  any  theory  on  the  subject,  but 
the  facts  are  curious,  and  should  direct  attention  to 
a  comparison  of  the  aspects  and  the  two  bodies  of 
Jupiter  and  sun.  Yours  very  truly, 

G.  P.  BOND. 

Compare  VAUGHAN'S  and  THOMPSON'S  theories, 
in  which  all  bodies  of  great  mass  and  sufficient 
density  should  be  suns.  It  was  this  that  first  led 
me  to  try  our  late  photographic  experiments. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       177 
To  DR.  F.  BRUENNOW  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

March  20,  1860. 
Dear  Sir: — 

I  quite  agree  with  you  in  withholding  entire 
confidence  in  the  new  planet  discovery  .  .  .  without 
more  evidence.* 

What  a  discouraging  search  Mr.  TUTTLE  has  had 
for  comets  for  eighteen  months  past.  He  has  been 
constantly  at  work  during  the  whole  time.  ... 

GEORGE  BOND. 

FROM  E.  C.  HERRICK  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

YALE  COLLEGE,  NEW  HAVEN, 

March  26,  1860. 
Dear  Sir: — 

I  am  very  desirous  to  hear  if  you  have  seen 
the  planet  Vulcan  this  afternoon.  From  4h  55m 
onward  to  sunset  clouds  wholly  intercepted  our 
view.  From  3  p.  M.  to  4h  55m  we  had  several  fair 
views  of  the  sun,  amid  the  gathering  clouds,  but 
among  the  many  spots  there  was  no  apparent 
planet.  I  hope  you  had  a  better  sky. 

For  nearly  a  month  past  four  or  five  of  us  have 
been  watching  the  sun  in  the  hope  of  detecting  the 
transit  of  LESCARBAULT'S  inter-mercurial  planet. 
With  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  exactness  of  the 
period  of  19.7  days,  I  thought  it  best  to  observe 
during  March  and  the  early  part  of  April.  But 
since  receiving  the  data  which  WOLF  has  brought 
to  light  there  appears  to  be  strong  ground  for  sup- 
posing the  period  to  be  19.27  days.  This  gives  a 
possible  transit  March  7th,  and  a,  probable  one  to-day 


*  LESCARBAULT'S  Vulcan. 
M 


178  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

at  5:30  P.  M.  of  our  time.  The  former  day  was 
clouded  here  wholly,  but  an  observation  may  have 
been  secured  in  Europe.  The  transit  of  to-day  was,, 
of  course,  invisible  there. 

On  the  8th  inst.  I  commenced  a  letter  to  you. 
relative  to  the  subject  of  watching  for  this  planet, 
asking  more  particularly  that  if  you  intended 
searching  therefor  you  would  look  especially 
between  9  A.  M.  and  3  p.  M.,  when  our  telescope  is- 
unfortunately  unable  to  command  an  altitude  suffi- 
cient to  reach  the  sun,  but  hesitating  to  trouble 
you  in  the  business,  I  threw  the  sheet  aside.  I 
now  regret  that  I  did  not  last  week  call  your  atten- 
tion to  the  probable  transit  of  to-day,  lest  th& 
matter  should  have  escaped  your  notice. 
Yours  truly, 

EDWARD  C.  HERRICK. 

P.  S. — In  our  ignorance  of  the  ellipticity  of  Vul- 
can there  must  be  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  day 
of  the  March  transit,  and  I  propose  that  we  con- 
tinue the  watch  for  a  week  longer. 

The  following  extracts  from  a  long  report  exhibit 
the  condition  and  requirements  of  the  Harvard 
College  Observatory  at  the  beginning  of  GEORGE 
BOND'S  activity  as  director.  The  notes  in  [  ]  show 
the  final  dispositions  made  up  to  1897. 

To  J.  INGERSOLL  BOWDITCH   FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,  \ 
CAMBRIDGE,  March  31,  1860.         J 
Dear  Sir: — 

To   place  the  observatory  in  a  position  of 
complete  efficiency,  we  need,  as  you  well  know,  a 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       179 

considerable  addition  to  our  funds,  larger,  perhaps, 
than  we  can  expect  to  obtain  at  present. 

The  most  urgent  necessity  relates  to  the  subject 
of  printing.  For  the  last  twelve  or  thirteen  years 
the  great  refractor  has  been  in  constant  service,  and 
has  furnished  an  extensive  collection  of  observa- 
tions in  those  departments  of  astronomy  which 
afford  the  most  appropriate  field  for  the  employ- 
ment of  an  instrument  of  its  class.  The  material 
thus  accumulated  acquires  peculiar  interest  and 
importance  from  the  superior  size  and  excellent 
qualities  of  the  telescope.  There  are,  besides,  con- 
tributions from  the  less  noted  instruments — the 
transit,  small  equatorial,  etc.,  which  should  be 
included  in  the  plan  of  publication. 

I  will  mention  specifically  the  following  as  sub- 
jects for  future  volumes.  Those  marked  with  an 
asterisk  are  in  a  condition  of  forwardness,  as  respects 
arrangement  and  discussion  of  the  original  notes, 
which  would  admit  of  their  being  put  immediately, 
or  with  little  delay,  into  the  hands  of  the  printer 
or  engraver.  Others  will  require  more  labor  in 
their  preparation,  though  the  observations  them- 
selves are  complete,  with  the  exception  of  the  third 
series  of  zones,  now  in  progress. 

SUBJECTS   FOR   PUBLICATION. 

*  Zone  Catalogue  of  5000  Stars,  between  Dec.  +  0°  20' 

and  -f-  0°  40'.    [Annals  H.  C.  0.,  Vol.  II,  part  2 
(1867).] 

Zone  Catalogue  of  5000  Stars  between  Dec.  -j-  0°  40' 
and  -|- 1°  00'  (observations  now  in  progress). 
[Annals  H.  C.  O.,  Vol.  VI  (1872).] 

*  Meridian  Transits,  Moon  Culminations,  and  Stand- 

ard Catalogue.    [ Annals  H.  C.  0.,  Vol.  IV,  parts 
1  (1863)  and  2  (1878).] 

*  Observations  on  the  Solar  Spots.     (These  consist 

principally  of  drawings,  to  the  number  of  two 


180  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

hundred  and  fifty,  executed  in  1847-48-49  by 
the  late  director.)  [Annah  H.  C.  0.,  Vol.  VII 
(1871).] 

Observations  on  Comets,  Asteroids,  Double  Stars, 
Nebulae,  and  Miscellaneous  Observations. 

*  Observations  and  Drawings  of  the  Great  Nebulae 
of  Orion  and  Andromeda,  and  of  the  Cluster 
in  Hercules.  [Annals  H.  C.  0.,  Vol.  V  (1867).] 

Observations  on  the  Physical  Aspect  of  Venus,  Mars 
and  Jupiter,  and  on  the  Satellites  of  Jupiter. 
The  drawings  of  Jupiter  will  number  nearly 
150,  showing  details  of  the  structure  of  the 
belts  during  the  past  twelve  years. 

Determination  of  the  Solar  Parallax  from  Observa- 
tions of  Venus  and  Mars;  Satellites  of  Neptune 
and  Saturn;  Specimens  of  Astronomical  Photog- 
raphy, Stellar  Photography,  etc.;  Meteorolog- 
ical and  Magnetic  Observations. 

Eclipses  and  Occultations,  including  an  account  of 
the  total  eclipse  of  the  Sun,  observed  at  Lilla 
Edet,  Sweden. 

Description  f  and  Drawings  of  the  Great  Comet  of 
DONATI,  with  illustrations  from  other  bodies 
of  this  class.  [Printed  in  Vol.  Ill  of  the  Annals 
H.  C.  0.  (1862).] 

The  foregoing,  with  other  materials  not  men- 
tioned, would  fill  eight  or  ten  quarto  volumes  of 
300  or  400  pages. 

Provision  for  meeting  current  expenses,  such 
as  fuel,  lights,  stationery,  repairs,  care  of  grounds 
and  buildings,  etc. 

We  cannot  now  afford  fuel  to  heat  our  library 
in  the  winter,  and  I  often  put  on  my  great-coat, 

t During  the  administration  of  Professor  WINLOCK  an  ex- 
amination of  all  the  records  of  the  observatory  was  made,  and 
with  the  publication  of  Vol.  VIII  of  the  Annals,  in  1876,  it  was 
considered  that  all  the  available  work  of  the  observatory  before 
1866  had  been  printed.  See  the  Annals,  Vol.  VIII,  page  47. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       181 

and  sit  in  an  out-of-doors'  temperature,  when  I 
want  to  consult  the  books.  The  expense  of  keep- 
ing the  grounds  in  neat  condition  is  borne  by  the 
director. 

In  the  event  of  the  erection  of  any  new  build- 
ing or  instrument,  as  for  instance,  of  a  telescope 
and  building  expressly  designed  for  experiments 
in  photographing  the  heavenly  bodies,  or  of  a  small 
magnetic  observatory,  etc.,  there  would  be  occa- 
sion for  additional  outlays. 

Without  provision  for  the  above,  the  observa- 
tory cannot  be  considered  as  being  in  a  position  of 
fall  activity,  and  is  not  on  an  equal  footing  with 
similar  institutions  in  Europe,  which  are  mostly 
under  government  patronage. 

I  shall  now  mention  several  particulars,  in 
respect  of  which  the  operations  of  the  observatory 
might  be  extended  to  great  advantage,  if  the  means 
were  at  command. 

First — A  new  meridian  instrument  of  the  best 
construction  —  estimate,  $6000. 

Second — A  small   magnetic  observatory,  $1000. 

Third — It  would  be  a  great  attraction  to  the  stu- 
dents of  the  University,  and  calculated  to  exercise  a 
most  beneficial  influence  upon  their  education,  if 
they  could  have  free  access  to  such  facilities  for  the 
exploration  and  study  of  celestial  phenomena  as  an 
observatory  affords.  By  an  arrangement  which  has 
been  in  force  for  twelve  years  past,  the  Senior  Class 
of  Undergraduates  have  made  an  annual  visitation 
to  the  observatory,  in  five  or  six  divisions. 

This  provision  is  a  very  inadequate  one  to  meet 
the  wants  of  the  students;  .  .  .  but  ineffectual  as  it 
is  to  satisfy  their  reasonable  desires,  it  is  at  the  same 
time  impossible  to  give  them  larger  privileges 
without  encroaching  most  seriously  upon  the  regu- 
lar work  of  the  observatory. 


182  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

.  .  .  I  propose  for  a  remedy  that  a  telescope  of 
the  finest  quality  and  largest  dimensions — supe- 
rior, if  possible,  to  the  great  refractor  now  the  chief 
ornament  of  the  observatory  — should  be  mounted 
on  the  grounds  and  devoted  to  the  instruction  of 
the  students,  primarily  in  the  various  objects  of 
planetary  and  stellar  Astronomy. 

If  the  students  and  other  visitors  were  admit- 
ted only  at  certain  days  and  hours,  much  val- 
uable use  might  be  made  of  the  telescope  by  hav- 
ing reference  in  its  construction  and  mounting  to 
photographic  purposes,  for  which  it  could  be 
employed,  perhaps,  on  certain  days,  or  after  mid- 
night or  some  other  late  hour. 

Fourth — The  application  of  photography  to 
astronomical  purposes  stands  greatly  in  need  of 
further  development.  It  has  already  afforded  most 
valuable  results,  and  there  is  every  reason  to  sup- 
pose that  it  will  one  day  become  a  great  power  in 
the  investigation  of  the  most  interesting  problems 
of  astronomy.  The  experiments  must  be  made  on 
a  liberal  scale,  and  the  whole  time  of  an  artist 
should  be  devoted  to  the  subject. 

It  would  be  certain  to  repay  the  outlay  if  an 
astronomer  of  experience,  furnished  with  a  good 
telescope  and  photographic  apparatus,  should  visit 
different  parts  of  the  world  (high  table-lands  and 
mountains),  and  experiment  on  the  advantages 
of  a  pure  and  tranquil  atmosphere.  It  is  under- 
stood that  photography  succeeds  better  in  Califor- 
nia than  here,  and  better  here  than  in  Europe. 
Now  a  few  essays  in  California,  at  an  expense  of  a 
few  thousand  dollars,  might  prove  of  inestimable 
advantage  to  the  science.  The  Russian  Govern- 
ment has  just  appropriated  nearly  $40,000  for  an 


•expedition  to  Persia,  to  try  the  effect  of  a  pure 
atmosphere  on  the  visibility  of  celestial  objects,  but 
they  make  no  mention  of  the  most  important 
means  of  extending  our  researches,  namely,  pho- 
tography. Why  should  we  always  have  to  wait 
for  the  example  of  the  governments  of  Europe  in 
encouragement  of  scientific  enterprises?  If  our 
observatory  had  possessed  the  means,  we  should 
have  sent  off  an  expedition  of  this  kind  years  ago; 
it  was  actually  proposed,  but,  of  course,  nothing 
could  be  accomplished  without  money.  We  might 
now,  with  equal  means,  get  our  expedition  to  the 
interior  of  California,  secure  the  best  of  the  results 
and  get  back  before  the  Russians  have  started. 

The  last  matter  which  I  will  dwell  upon  relates 
to  further  provision  for  the  support  of  the  observ- 
ers attached  to  the  institution. 

There  are  three,  and  at  times,  four  assistants; 
their  annual  compensation  averages  less  than  $500 
a  year.  I  am  ashamed  to  have  them  remain  for 
such  a  miserable  pittance,  but  do  not  know  how  to 
keep  up  the  work  expected  from  the  observatory 
without  them.  If  this  is  to  be  extended,  and  addi- 
tional instruments  brought  into  use,  there  must  be 
provision  made  for  the  proper  support  of  the 
astronomers. 

The  observatory  can  now  depend,  for  its  ordin- 
ary expenses  of  all  description,  the  salaries  of  five 
observers,  the  purchase  of  books  and  instruments, 
fuel,  lights,  stationery,  repairs,  etc.,  upon  an  annual 
income  of  $5200,  which  is  about  half  as  much  as 
is  needed. 

Thanking  you  most  cordially  for  the  interest 
you  have  always  manifested  in  the  welfare  of  the 
observatory,  I  remain  yours,  very  truly, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


184  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 


RECAPITULATION. 

ITEMS     MOST     NEEDED    TO     SECURE    PRESENT    EFFICIENCY    OF 
OBSERVATORY. 

1st — Printingand  engraving  of  arrears  of  observations  in 

past  years §20.000 

2d — For  annual  publication  of  Annals,  fund  giving 

income  of  $2,500, 50,000 

3d— Fund  for  contingent  expenses,  income  $500  a  year,    10,000 

§80,000 

ITEMS  DESIRABLE   FOR   INCREASING  ITS   OPERATIONS. 

1st— A  new  meridian  instrument  of  the  best  construc- 
tion, estimate, §    6,000 

2d — A  small  magnetic  observatory, 1,000 

3d — Cost  of  a  telescope  and  tube  of  the  largest  size  and 

best  quality 12,000 

Mounting,  clockwork,  micrometer,  etc.,   ....  5,000 

Building,  pier,  observing  chair,   etc 5,000 

Annual    compensation    of  assistant,  §500   per    an- 
num.   Fund, 10,000 

4th — Photographic   experiments    for  five   years,  §1,000 

per  year, 5,000 

Compensation  of  artist  for  same  period,   at  §1,000 

a  year, 5,000 

5th — To  increase  present  income  by  §5,000.   Capital,  .    .     100,000 

Total, §229,000 


To  G.  B.  AIRY  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

September  28,  1857. 

.  .  .  My  father  requests  your  acceptance  of 
the  enclosed  plate  exhibiting  a  line  photographed 
by  a.  Lyrse,  as  it  passed  the  field  of  the  equatorial 
by  its  diurnal  motion,  the  telescope  remaining 
fixed.  You  will  perceive  that  your  idea  for  the 
self-registration  of  transits  and  zenith  distances 
can  be  perfectly  realized  for  this  particular  star. 

You  will  notice  considerable  fluctuations  in 
the  intensity  and  regularity  of  the  line,  to  be 
ascribed  parti}7  to  changes  of  refraction,  partly  per- 
haps to  the  fact  that  contiguous  portions  of  the 
plate  are  not  equally  sensitive  to  the  action  of  light ; 
but  it  is  possible  that  the  phenomenon  of  twinkling 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       185 

may  have  some  part  in  determining  the  character 
of  the  line  traced  by  the  star. 

It  seems  now  highly  probable  that,  by  taking 
advantage  of  the  aids  which  the  art  of  photogra- 
phy has  placed  within  our  reach,  a  grand  impulse 
might  be  given  to  astronomy.  By  the  employment 
of  electro-magnetism  the  astronomer  has  been 
relieved  from  dependence  upon  the  sense  of  hear- 
ing and  the  mental  faculties  which  used  to  be  called 
into  exercise  in  estimating  small  fractions  of  time. 
Photography  may  be  enlisted  in  aid  of,  or  even  as 
a  substitute,  for  the  eye. 

It  is  to  be  supposed  that  these  first  attempts 
are  susceptible  of  great  improvement.  We  can 
certainly  have  larger  telescopes.  I  believe  that  a 
liberal  expenditure  of  money  will  solve  all  the 
mechanical  difficulties  in  the  way  of  constructing 
a  telescope  of  four  times  the  aperture  of  ours.  We 
should  then  photograph  instantaneously  stars  ~  as 
bright  as  a  Lyrse  and,  as  I  estimate,  in  less  than 
one  minute,  stars  of  the  8th  or  9th  magnitude, 
without  reckoning  upon  any  improvement  in  the 
preparation  and  treatment  of  the  plates.  Certainly 
we  have  a  right  to  expect  much  from  chemistry  in 
furtherance  of  the  same  end. 

We  have  also  yet  to  try  the  effect  of  using  the 
telescope  in  a  purer  atmosphere;  on  an  elevated 
mountain,  for  instance.  .  .  . 


To  R.  C.  CARRINGTON  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

February  29,  1800. 

.  .  .  I  noticed  the  unexpectedly  rapid  action 
of  Jupiter  in  photography  on  the  first  occasion  that 
it  was  taken,  nine  or  ten  years  ago.  On  March  22, 
1851,  I  find  the  following  memorandum  referring 
to  the  time  of  exposure  of  the  plates.  It  is  noted 
that  it  was  "about  as  long  as  the  moon  required, 


186  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

or  not  much  longer."  We  have  since  confirmed 
this  on  several  occasions,  and  DE  LA  RUE  comes  to 
much  the  same  conclusion.  Within  a  month  or 
two  past,  I  have  engaged  Mr.  WHIPPLE  to  photo- 
graph the  sun,  moon  and  Jupiter.  The  central 
regions  of  sun  and  Jupiter  have  decidedly  the  most 
intensity,  whereas  the  margins  of  the  moon  act  first. 
A  photograph  of  a  cannon  ball  painted  white  was 
more  uniform  in  action  than  either  of  the  three 
above-named  objects,  but  it  most  resembled  the 
moon.  ARAGO  mentions  a  similar  result  for  flat 
discs.  Mars  is  brightest  on  the  limbs,  and  Venus 
also;  but  the  latter,  not  being  seen  in  opposition, 
does  not  furnish  as  safe  a  comparison  as  Mars  or 
the  moon.  Thus  far,  then,  we  find  that  Jupiter  and 
the  sun  rank  together  in  the  distribution  of  light  on 
their  surfaces. 

Sunlight  at  Jupiter  is  2l  of  the  intensity  that  it 
is  at  the  earth  or  the  moon,  and  we  should  expect, 
with  a  similar  reflecting  surface,  that  Jupiter  would 
show  only  about  2l  of  the  chemical  intensity  of  the 
moon,  whereas  its  central  parts  almost  equal  the 
average  surface  of  full  moon.  (The  intensities  are 
in  the  ratio  of  4  to  5,  about.)  So  we  must  suppose 
Jupiter  to  be  either  chemically  self-luminous,  or  else 
that  it  has  a  very  peculiar  property  of  light,  reflec- 
tion affording  j|X  27=22  times  actinic  intensity  of 
moonlight.  This  may  be  possible;  its  surface  pre- 
sented to  us  is  gaseous,  the  moon  is  solid. 

The  spots,  or  faculse,  on  Jupiter  remind  us  of 
the  sun,  and  it  is  curious  to  notice  how  the 
discordances  in  the  sun's  rotation  from  proper 
motion  of  spots  is  paralleled  in  the  case  of  Jupiter's 
rotation,  which  fluctuates  between  9h  50m  and 
9h  56m,  a  very  decided  inequality.  Then  again, 
the  question  of  the  recurrence  of  spots  in  the  same 
region  is  not  established,  though  suspected  with 
both  bodies. 


The  arrangement  of  sun  spots  in  zones  and 
their  prevalence  in  low  latitudes,  accords  with  Jupi- 
ter's belt  action. 

I  have  seen  Jupiter's  bright  regions  mottled 
like  the  sun,  and  compared  the  two  to  each  other, 
years  ago.  Jupiter's  spots  are  sometimes  not  dusky 
simply,  but  black,  at  any  rate  so-called,  though  we 
must  not  lay  too  much  stress  on  an  expression 
adopted  perhaps  hastily.  The  transit  of  Jupiter's 
satellites  as  black  spots  I  have  often  witnessed. 
These  always  enter  and  pass  off  bright,  as  seen  pro- 
jected on  the  margin  of  the  disc.  The  old  explana- 
tion, which  attributed  the  appearance  to  dark  spots 
on  the  satellites,  will  not  meet  the  facts,  by  any 
means.  The  first  satellite  is  not  black,  or  even 
always  dark,  excepting  on  a  bright  zone. 

The  grand  objection  to  the  idea  of  Jupiter's  self- 
luminosity  is  the  darkness  of  the  shadows  cast  by 
the  satellites,  but  it  is  a  question  how  much  defect 
of  light  in  an  object  projected  on  a  bright  back- 
ground will  cause  it  to  look  black,  especially  when 
it  subtends  only  a  very  small  angle. 

Perhaps  if  the  side  of  Jupiter  turned  away  from 
the  sun  be  bright,  we  ought  to  see  the  satellites  in 
eclipse.  Here  is  another  difficulty.  Then  again, 
SEIDEL  makes  Jupiter,  Venus  and  Mars  have  equal 
"albedo,"  which  militates  against  the  idea  that 
Jupiter  is  any  more  self-luminous  than  Venus,  for 
instance.  I  think  there  must  be  an  error  in  the 
Monthly  Notices  of  the  Astronomical  Society  for 
January,  1860,  page  102,  as  regards  the  albedo  of 
Saturn  and  Mars.  The  latter  is  fainter  than  Saturn, 
allowing  for  distance  from  sun  and  areas  of  illu- 
minated surface. 

I  have  been  looking  into  the  relation  between 
the  period  of  sun  spots  and  the  position  of  the  prin- 
cipal planets  as,  in  case  of  extensive  chemical  action 
going  on  in  their  atmospheres  a  reflex  action  on 


188  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

the  sun,  a  sympathy  between  them,  might  be  antic- 
ipated. At  first  all  was  promising  up  to  1826,  as 
Jupiter's  perihelia  and  aphelia  answer  tolerably  to 
maxima  and  minima  of  spots,  but  previous  to  1826 
there  is  too  much  divergence.  .  .  . 

At  all  events,  Jupiter  should  be  studied  hence- 
forth with  special  reference  to  the  relation  between 
the  physical  constitution  of  its  atmosphere  and 
that  of  the  sun. 


To  PROFESSOR  ALEXIS  CASWELL  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE, 

May  14,  1860. 
Dear  Sir: — 

The  report  of  the  early  success  of  photo- 
graphing stars  at  Rome  may  be  true,  but  I  know  of 
two  instances  of  supposed  photographs  of  celestial 
objects  taken  at  the  Collegio  Romano  proving  to  be 
photographic  copies  from  drawings.  One  of  these  is 
alluded  to  by  Mr.  HUNT,  in  his  Researches  on 
Light,  as  an  instance  of  the  direct  impressions  of 
the  light  of  the  nebula  of  Orion.  The  other  is  a 
copy  from  an  india-ink  drawing  of  the  lunar  crater 
Copernicus.  If  the  Roman  astronomers  procured 
veritable  photographs  of  any  of  the  celestial  bodies 
before  the  experiments  of  Mr.  WHIPPLE  at  Cam- 
bridge, the  accounts  have  no  doubt  been  published, 
but  I  have  never  seen  or  heard  of  them,  excepting 
as  above  stated.*  Very  truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


*No  photographs  were  made  at  Rome  before  those  made  by 
BOND  and  WHIPPLE. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        189 

To  MR.  BLACK  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE, 

CAMBRIDGE,  September  15, 1860. 
Dear  Sir: — 

Learning  that  you  are  proposing  to  take 
photographic  views  from  a  balloon,  I  should  be 
glad  to  have  you  try  to  ascertain  in  how  much  less 
time  the  upper  surface  of  a  dense  cloud  in  full  sun- 
shine will  make  a  strong  negative  than  the  land- 
scape view  of  the  earth  requires. 

Yours  truly, 

G.  P.  BOND. 

FROM  DR.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

HAMILTON  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY,          \ 
CLINTON,  N.  Y.,  April  15, 1861.  j 
My  Dear  Sir: — 

I  am  in  such  a  state  of  political  excitement 
to-day  that  I  rather  should  not  write  a  letter,  but  I 
am  so  much  in  debt  with  you  that  I  cannot  delay 
writing  any  longer.  The  engraving  of  the  comet  is 
exceedingly  beautiful,  and  if  they  are  all  of  the  same 
perfection,  your  work  on  DONATI'S  Comet  will 
astonish  the  world  in  the  view  of  artistic  perfection. 

Corrected,  but  not  quite  definitive  elements  of 
Titania  I  sent  to  BRUENNOW,  who  now  ought  to 
have  a  little  more  activity  with  the  Notices,  since 
the  Journal  has  laid  down  its  arms.  We  are  arrang- 
ing longitude  determinations  between  here  and  Ann 
Arbor  for  the  last  week  of  this  month. 

Without  being  really  ill,  1  have  been  continu- 
ally not  well  the  whole  winter;  but  now,  with 


190  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

spring,  I  begin  to  dig  a  little  in  the  garden,*  and 
hope  I  shall  be  better.  I  should  like  very  much  to 
show  you  our  place  when  the  leaves  are  on  the 
trees.  Can  you  not  contrive  to  make  us  a  visit  for 
a  few  days,  perhaps  when  you  are  going  to  your 
annual  beaver-hunting.  Sincerely  yours, 

C.  H.  F.  PETERS. 

P.  S. — I  must  go  down  to  the  village  and  hear 
what  are  the  latest  news — whether  it  is  really  true 
that  Fort  Sumter  treacherously  has  surrendered. 


To  WILLIAM  LASSELL  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

CAMBRIDGE,  May  18, 1861. 
Dear  Sir: — 

I  have  lately  communicated  to  the  Astro- 
nomical Society  an  account  of  a  spiral,  or  rather  a 
whirl,  character  in  the  light  of  the  great  nebula  in 
Orion,  which  I  am  entirely  certain  you  will  recog- 
nize with  your  large  telescope;  and  having  once 
caught  the  idea,  you  will  fill  up  the  details  with 
greater  certainty  than  I  have  done.f 

My  time  of  late  has  been  much  occupied  in  an 
extensive  collection  of  observations  on  the  great 
comet  of  1858,  for  which  the  engravings  are  now 
mostly  completed;  a  specimen  is  inclosed. 

Yours  very  truly, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


*  Doctor  PETERS  was  an  enthusiastic  botanist  —  skilled  in 
this  as  in  so  many  things  — and  his  famous  roses  grew  all  over 
the  walls  of  his  observatory. 

t  BOND'S  expectation  was  fully  carried  out  in  LASSELL'S 
splendid  drawing  made  at  Malta  with  the  four-foot  reflector. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        191 

To  E.  H.  WHITNEY  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

CAMBRIDGE,  July  9,  1861. 
Dear  Sir: — 

In  reply  to  yours  of  the  8th,  I  am  quite 
unable  to  say  what  would  be  the  effect  of  a  colli- 
sion with  the  tail  of  the  comet. 

As  a  mere  matter  of  opinion,  I  fancy  we  should 
be  quite  unconscious  of  the  event,  and  know  it  only 
from  astronomical  calculation.  Probably  contact 
with  the  nucleus  might  be  disastrous — somewhat 
worse  than  meeting  with  a  cannon  ball  in  full 
career  of  a  few  millons  of  tons  weight.  But  this 
is  mere  conjecture;  we  only  know  as  a  scientific 
fact,  that  the  tails  of  comets  are  attenuated  beyond 
any  substance  with  which  we  have  to  do  on  the 
earth.  Respectfully  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  A  LETTER  TO  R.  C.  CARRINGTON 
FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

January  3,  1862. 

.  .  .  Enclosed  are  two  articles  by  Mr.  SAFFORD. 
One  on  the  proper  motion  of  Sirius  in  declination, 
confirming  BESSEL'S  hypothesis  deduced  from  the 
right  ascensions  alone —  viz.  that  the  star  circulates- 
about  an  invisible  companion. 

The  article  on  the  mass  of  Neptune  shows  that 
STRUVE'S  mass  from  the  satellite,  viz.  1*=^,  is 
decidedly  discordant.  You  will  find  in  the  Bulletins 
of  the  St.  Petersburg  Academy  some  remarks  of 
O.  STRUVE  respecting  our  observations  on  the  sat- 
tellite,  from  which  I  found  the  value  M=igL. 

He  insinuates  that  they  are  defective,  but  gives 
no  evidence,  excepting  that  they  differ  systemati- 
cally from  his;  and  LEVERRIER  seems  to  have 
acquiesced  by  accepting  his  mass.  Mr.  SAFFORD'S- 


192  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

result  is  M=,^,  independently  computed  from  the 
perturbations  of  Uranus,  and  satisfying  them  in  a 
way  which  settles  the  question  decisively  against 
STRUVE.* 


FROM  DR.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

HAMILTON  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY, 

CLINTON,  N.  Y.,  1862,  January  13. 
Dear  Sir:  — 


It  is  long  since  anything  has  struck  me  so 
much  as 'your  handsome  construction  of  the  cate- 
nary shape  of  DONATI'S  Comet,  by  which  fact  you 
have  laid  a  firmer  basis  —  the  first  firm  basis  for 
the  theories  of  comet  tails.  It  is  curious  that  the 
nucleus  occupies  a  kind  of  focus  in  the  catenary  — 
though  this  curve  has  no  focus.  .  .  . 

It  seems,  however,  that  the  catenary  represents 
the  level  surface  of  the  forces  emanating  from  the 
nucleus  and  from  the  sun,  and  thus  must  give  the 
law  of  these  forces,  which  is  expressed  in  the  dis- 
tances of  the  nucleus  from  the  surface. 

We  have  to  bear  in  mind,  however,  that  the 
curve  only  represents  the  outline  of  the  nebulous 
envelope.  How  are  now  the  famous  drawings 
made  at  the  Dudley  Observatory  represented  by 
your  catenary? 

From  BRUENNOW  I  have  not  heard  for  about  two 
months.  A  number  of  the  Notices,  arrived  Satur- 
day night,  shows,  however,  that  he  is  alive.  Why 
the  Notices  do  not  appear  quicker,  I  do  not  under- 
stand. He  has  had  communications  from  me  since 
October,  enough  almost  for  a  whole  number.  The 
end  of  the  solar  eclipse,  on  the  31st  of  December, 

*  The  mass  of  Neptune,  from  modern  observations,  is  Tsfeff. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       193 

was  not  observed  here  for  clouds.  I  got  a  chance, 
however,  before  the  end  to  see  the  sun  eclipsed, 
and  was  particularly  surprised  to  find  the  moon  to 
be  surrounded  by  a  yellow-brown  fringe  of  two  or 
three  seconds  in  width.  This  was  not  visible  on 
the  (inner)  edge  of  the  sun. 

I  used  the  polarizing  eyepiece,  which  shows  the 
sun  perfectly  white.  Yours  very  truly, 

C.  H.  F.  PETERS. 


To  PROFESSOR,  E.  LOOMIS  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,  1 
CAMBRIDGE,  February  11, 1862.      / 
Dear  Sir: — 

I  inclose  for  insertion  in  [SILLIMAN'S]  Journal 
a  notice  of  the  discovery  of  the  new  asteroid  and 
observations  upon  the  companion  of  Sirius,  lately 
detected  by  Mr.  CLARK  with  his  18|-inch  object  glass. 

The  discovery  of  a  companion  of  Sirius  so  soon 
after  the  publication  of  Mr.  SAFFORD'S  investigations 
on  its  motion,  which  completed  the  evidence  of  the 
existence  of  an  (hitherto)  invisible  companion,  is 
quite  remarkable.  I  had  before  sent  you  a  copy  of 
his  article.  Yours  truly, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


FROM  GEORGE  BOND  TO  M.  OTTO  VON  STRUVE. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE, 
CAMBRIDGE,  Mass.,  U.  S.  A.,  October  28, 1862. 

Dear  Sir: — 

.  .  .  [Acknowledgments  of  publications,  etc.] 
For  these  very  valuable  donations  I  desire  to  offer 
my  best  thanks  to  the  astronomers,  and  especially 


194  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

to  your  venerable  father,  to  whom  we  have  in  past 
years  been  greatly  indebted  for  similar  favors. 


The  account  of  the  Poulkova  observations  upon 
the  great  comet  of  1858  I  have  studied  with  great 
interest.  A  truly  admirable  collection,  honorable 
to  the  renowned  institution  from  which  it  has  ema- 
nated, and  to  the  astronomers  engaged  in  its  pro- 
duction. It  would  have  been  well  for  cometary 
science  if  something  of  the  same  skill  and  industry 
had  been  more  generally  exhibited  in  other  observa- 
tories. 

With  my  best  respects  to  your  father. 

Respectfullv, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


FROM  DR.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

HAMILTON  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY,         ^ 
CLINTON,  N.  Y.,  1862,  November  20.  j 

My  Dear  Sir: — 

It  has  become  my  sorrowful  duty  to  announce 
to  you  that  I  have  committed  the  blunder  to  in- 
crease the  number  of  the  already  too  numerous 
asteroids  by  one  more.*  I  saw  it  first  on  the  12th 
inst.,  but  clouds  prevented  anything  more  than 
rough  drawing  into  the  chart.  On  the  15th,  how- 
ever, I  obtained  the  following  good  positions. 


Yours  very  truly, 

C.  H.  F.  PETERS. 


'Doctor  PETERS  is  the  discoverer  of  no  less  than  forty-eight 
of  these  small  planets. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       195 

TRANSLATION  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  PROFESSOR  GALLE 
TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

BRESLAU,  November  25,  1862. 
Honored  Sir: — 


I  can  no  longer  delay  expressing  in  a  few 
words  my  pleasure  and  my  most  sincere  thanks  for 
such  a  valuable  gift.  At  the  first  hasty  glance  at 
the  work  I  was  surprised  in  an  unusual  degree  at 
the  extraordinary  beauty  of  the  drawings  of  the 
comet,  which  are  marked  by  a  truthfulness  to 
nature  which  I,  for  my  part,  have  hitherto  sought 
for  in  vain  in  the  most  celebrated  works  upon  such 
subjects.  The  tone  of  coloring,  the  gradations  of 
brightness,  the  drawings  of  the  details  of  the  head 
of  the  comet,  all  give  in  the  most  faithful  manner 
the  appearance  and  the  peculiar  impression  which 
these  wonderful  heavenly  bodies  make  upon  an 
unprejudiced  mind  through  a  good  telescope. 
Science  is  enriched  by  the  addition  of  these  mono- 
graphs to  your  work,  and  therefore  our  thanks  are 
due  to  you,  first  of  all,  for  the  excellence  attained 
in  the  drawings,  then  to  the  artist  for  their  execu- 
tion, and  indeed  to  all  who  have  enabled  you  to 
publish  the  book  in  such  perfection.  In  fact,  I 
think  that  the  manner  in  which  the  drawings  have 
been  executed  could  hardly  be  surpassed,  and  must 
serve  as  a  model  for  all  similar  undertakings. 
Figures  of  such  a  character  form  so  much  more 
reliable  a  groundwork  for  a  theory  of  these  heavenly 
bodies,  when,  like  these,  they  give  the  impression 
of  perfect  freedom  from  bias  in  favor  of  any 
theory. 

I  have  perhaps  already  been  too  prolix  in  my 
discussion,  and  therefore  must  refrain  for  the  pres- 
ent from  enlarging  upon  the  text,  although  there 


196  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

also  is  a  rich  and  valuable  store  to  repay  closer 
study. 

With  the  highest  respect, 

Yours  truly, 

J.  G.  GALLE. 


To  DR.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

CAMBRIDGE,  January  7,  1863. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

What  you  say  of  the  financial  prospects  with 
which  you  begin  the  new  year,  nearly  completes 
the  list  of  the  twenty-five  observatories  started 
(not  founded)  within  the  past  twenty  years  in  the 
United  States  and  left  to  die  of  want.  Now  if  we 
except  the  National  Observatory,  no  doubt  we  have 
here  at  Cambridge  the  one  best  provided  for  among 
them  all.  Yet  I  can  say,  from  bitter  experience, 
that  the  charge  of  it  has  been  from  the  beginning 
a  perpetual  vexation  of  spirit,  for  the  want  of  proper 
means  of  support. 

I  am  weary  to  death  of  this  new,  original  and 
undeniably  American  idea  of  cultivating  science 
by  withholding  all  the  aid  which  the  rest  of  the 
world  has  hitherto  thought  requisite,  and  then 
haunting  the  unhappy  astronomer  with  a  dismal 
ghost  of  popular  reputation  and  newspaper  notoriety. 

Excepting  that  in  this  community  there  are 
those  who  will  do  what  the  State  neglects,  out  of 
pure  largeness  of  views,  we  should  long  ago  have 
made  one  on  the  list  of  failures,  and  have  added 
another  warning  against  the  repetition  of  the  folly 
of  a  new  observatory.  Truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        197 

FROM  DR.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

HAMILTON  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY, 

CLINTON,  N.  Y.,  1863,  February  1. 
Dear  Sir:  — 


In  the  last  week  I  have  been  .  .  .  work- 
ing my  solar  spot  observations  out  of  the  rough. 
Of  7000  positions,*  nearly  half  are  still  on  the  chro- 
nograph sheets.  This  makes,  as  each  position  has 
been  observed  four  times,  together  with  accessory 
measures  of  dimensions,  groups,  etc.,  about  16,000 
chronograph  readings  yet  to  be  made.  I  must  try 
to  overcome  this  physical  impossibility  until  the 
month  of  April,  when  my  year  is  out,  and  I  am 
going  to  take  leave  of  absence,  the  trustees  not  being 
willing  to  pay  salary.  Lately  for  a  day  I  was  in 
Albany  to  speak  with  a  lawyer  about  the  payment 
of  my  last  year's  salary.  The  trustees  here,  too, 
will  find  that  there  are  "  fighting"  astronomers. 
(These  last  things  entre  nous.) 

Yours  very  truly,  C.  H.  F.  PETERS. 


FROM   DIRECTOR  OTTO  STROVE  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

(TRANSLATION.) 

POULKOVA,  March  3,  1863. 
Very  Honored  Colleague: — 

Severe  labor  and  illness  consequent  thereon 
are  the  causes  of  my  not  having  answered  your 
esteemed  letter  of  the  28th  October,  and  expressed 
at  the  same  time  my  cordial  thanks  for  the 


*  These  and  other  extensive  series  of  observations  were  left 
unpublished  at  Dr.  PETERS'  death*  It  is  greatly  to  be  desired 
that  those  who  have  his  manuscripts  in  charge  will  arrange  to 
have  them  edited  and  printed  as  a  tribute  to  his  memory  and 
on  account  of  their  intrinsic  value. 


198  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

valuable    collection   of    your    publications    which 
shortly  followed  that  letter. 

In  the  collection  your  great  work,  Account  of 
the  Great  Comet  of  1858,  has  naturally  attracted 
the  chief  attention.  It  is  incontestably  the  finest 
monograph  of  a  comet  that  astronomical  literature 
can  show,  and  its  contents  so  carefully,  so  circum- 
spectly, elaborated  will  certainly  contribute  essen- 
tially to  establish  our  views  upon  the  physical 
constitution  of  comets  in  general,  and  of  the  one 
here  treated  of  in  particular.  I  was  especially 
struck  with  the  analogy  between  your  observations 
and  mine  as  to  the  comprehension  of  the  phe- 
nomena of  the  head  of  the  comet.  In  November 
last  I  had  the  honor  of  sending  to  you  a  copy  of 
my  paper  on  the  nebula  of  Orion  by  the  American 
Consul,  Mr.  TAYLOR,  with  the  request  that  he 
would  transmit  it  to  you  as  quickly  as  possible,  as 
I  believed  that  it  would  be  particularly  interesting 
to  you.  I  was  very  anxious  to  obtain  your  opinion 
upon  it,  as  you  are  the  only  person  beside  myself 
who  has  studied  the  subject  so  thoroughly  as  to  be 
able  to  form  a  competent  judgment  upon  it. 

The  similar  optical  power  of  the  telescopes  used 
by  us  has  already  repeatedly  been  the  cause  of  our 
laboring  upon  the  same  objects,  and  naturally  we 
have  either  quickly  opposed  or  confirmed  each 
other  more  or  less  in  our  results.  If  God  grants  us 
the  power  of  future  work,  this  will  still  be  the  case, 
and  I  believe  that  science  will  be  the  gainer  by  it 
so  long  as  we  keep  her  advancement  sincerely  in 
view,  and  do  not  allow  jealousy  to  disturb  our 
judgment.  That  I  have  followed  this  fundamental 
principle  you  will  readily  perceive  in  both  papers, 
the  transmission  of  which  I  hereby  announce  to 
you.  In  the  first  I  have  indeed  been  obliged  to 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        199 

express  a  rather  severe  criticism  upon  the  cata- 
logue of  the  stars  in  the  nebula  of  Orion,  published 
by  your  late  father,  and  also  in  the  other,  I  have 
not  altogether  agreed  with  the  results  given  in 
your  otherwise  so  distinguished  work  upon  the 
Rings  of  Saturn,  but  in  neither  have  I  withheld  my 
recognition  of  what  was  really  deserving.  In  like 
manner,  you  also  in  your  latest  work  upon  the 
comet  have  extracted  what  was  good  in  our  observa- 
tions, and  I  beg  of  you  to  accept  my  hearty  thanks 
for  these  indications  of  good  will. 

This  subject  reminds  me,  also,  of  the  discrep- 
ancy in  our  results  upon  the  mass  of  Neptune.  It 
does  certainly  appear  at  present  as  if  Mr.  SAFFORD'S 
theoretical  researches  confirmed  the  value  found  by 
you.  However,  I  do  not  consider  this  matter 
finally  determined  yet,  for  proof  is  still  wanting 
that  Neptune  alone  has  produced  those  perturbations 
in  the  path  of  Uranus,  which  are  explained  by  the 
adoption  of  your  estimate. 

With  the  highest  regard, 

Yours  most  truly, 

OTTO  STRUVE. 

To  DIRECTOR  OTTO  STRUVE  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,         "} 
CAMBRIDGE,  Mass.,  U.  S.,  America.  >- 
July  15,  1863.  J 

Dear  Sir:  — 

The  acknowledgment  of  your  interesting  let- 
ter of  March  3d,  which  reached  me  in  due  course, 
has  been  delayed  longer  than  I  could  have  wished, 
as  indeed  has  been  too  much  the  case  with  all  my 
correspondence,  by  the  necessity  which  I  have  been 
of  late  subjected  to,  of  devoting  much  time  to 
observatory  duties,  which  have  hitherto  devolved 


200  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

upon  my  assistants.  Circumstances,  chiefly  aris- 
ing from  the  unhappy  civil  war  which  desolates 
our  country,  have  deprived  the  observatory  of  the 
services  of  Mr.  COOLIDGE,  Mr.  HALL  and  Mr.  TUT- 
TLE. 

The  servant  of  ordinary  work  has  enlisted,  and 
within  the  past  week  even  the  pupil  whom  we  had 
taken  for  instruction  to  supply  the  place  of  more 
skillful  assistants,  has  been  drafted  into  the  army. 
Mr.  SAFFORD  alone  remains  at  his  post;  but  I  hope 
we  shall  be  able  to  rescue  our  new  adjunct,  and 
if  blessed  with  returning  health  myself,  I  am 
still  confident  that  we  can  maintain  a  respectable 
activity,  more  especially  as  we  have  the  strong  con- 
fidence of  the  community,  which  has  been  our 
principal  reliance  for  material  support.  We  have, 
also,  through  the  liberality  of  a  merchant  of  Bos- 
ton, an  accession  to  our  funds  for  publication,  which 
is  very  acceptable. 

Before  this  letter  reaches  you,  our  latest  publica- 
tions, viz.  the  Observatory  tieport  for  1862,  and 
Annals,  Vol.  IV,  Part  I,  ought  to  have  come  to  your 
hands.  They  were  transmitted  in  May  last,  via 
Leipsic.  I  regret  to  say,  that  the  collection  of 
Poulkova  publications  kindly  promised  in  your 
letter  has  not  been  received.  These  delays  are 
exceedingly  vexatious,  and  I  fear  that,  as  you  have 
sometimes  mentioned,  the  packages  have  been 
placed  in  the  hands  of  our  government  diplomatic 
agents;  and  that  the  difficulty  lies  in  that  quarter 
since  recent  regulations  have  very  stringently  for- 
bidden the  use  of  the  government  dispatch-bags 
for  any  other  than  official  papers. 

I  beg  to  suggest  that  it  might  be  well  to  entrust 
any  package  designed  for  our  observatory  to  some 
one  of  the  large  booksellers  in  St.  Petersburg,  to  be 
forwarded  to  London,  via  Leipsic,  the  package  to 
be  addressed  to  HENRY  TOOKE  PARKER,  3  Ladbroke 


Gardens,  Kensington  Park,  London,  care  Messrs. 
WILLIAMS  and  NORGATE,  booksellers,  London.  I 
believe  that  parcels  once  in  the  hands  of  Doctor 
FLUEGEL,  of  Leipsic,  who  acts  as  agent  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution  of  Washington,  are  safely  trans- 
mitted; but  the  delay  is  often  very  great.  My 
recent  experience,  as  well  as  enquiries  directed  to 
this  subject  in  England  and  on  the  Continent,  have 
led  me  to  request  Mr.  PARKER  of  London  to  act  as 
a  receiving  and  distributing  agent  of  the  observa- 
tory, and  arrangements  have  been  made  by  which 
all  parcels  sent  to  him  from  the  Continent  will  be 
forwarded  to  us.  He  has  assured  me  that  he  can 
avail  himself  of  the  extensive  business  connections 
of  Messrs.  WILLIAMS  and  NORGATE  with  the  prin- 
cipal continental  booksellers,  to  establish  a  safe  and 
prompt  means  of  communication  between  our 
observatory  and  those  of  Europe.  He  has  instruc- 
tions to  pay  all  necessary  charges,  and  will,  I 
believe,  do  everything  in  his  power  to  secure  the 
objects  in  view. 

Among  the  Poulkova  publications  which  you 
mention  as  having  been  sent,  but  which  have  not 
come  to  hand  are,  the  notice  of  the  observations  upon 
Saturn  in  1862,  the  WEISSE  catalogue,  the  notice  of 
observations  for  the  parallax  of  Mars,  and  the 
memoir  on  the  nebula  of  Orion.  Should  you  not 
shortly  receive  from  me  an  acknowledgment  of  their 
arrival,  I  fear  we  must  have  to  conclude  that  they 
have  been  lost  on  the  way. 

With  the  memoir  on  the  nebula  of  Orion  I  sup- 
plied myself  while  on  a  short  tour  in  Europe,  from 
which  I  have  just  returned.  I  have  as  yet  been 
able  to  give  to  it  only  a  hasty  perusal,  which  has 
given  me  the  impression  that  in  the  references  to 
my  father's  observations  and  catalogue  you  have 
expressed  a  criticism,  severe,  perhaps,  but  in  its 
tone  quite  altered  from  that  which  characterizes 


202  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

the  passages  upon  the  same  subject  published  in 
1857  in  the  Monthly  Notices  of  the  Royal  Astronom- 
ical Society.  I  am  certain  that  you  will  not  regret 
this  when  you  come  to  know  all  the  circumstances 
of  the  case.  It  will  not  be  possible  for  me,  within 
the  limits  of  a  letter,  to  enter  upon  explanations, 
which  can,  indeed,  only  be  properly  done  when  the 
original  observations  are  published  in  detail.  This 
I  propose  shortly  to  accomplish,  if  health  is  granted 
to  me,  for  I  am  persuaded  that  they  have  an  extent, 
and  have  been  conducted  with  an  amount  of  care 
and  labor  which  do  not  at  all  appear  in  the  very 
imperfect  statement  of  results  presented  in  the 
memoir.  My  chief  difficulty  is  to  comprehend  how 
the  numbers  published  in  the  catalogue  came  to  be 
deduced  as  the  results  of  the  measurements  actually 
made.  I  have  not  yet  succeeded  in  finding  the 
manuscripts  of  the  reductions.  I  think,  however, 
that  all  the  observations  are  acceptable,  and  that 
the  greater  part  have  never  been  reduced,  or  even 
alluded  to  in  the  memoir. 

In  regard  to  the  variability  of  the  nebula,  I 
have  not  yet  made  such  a  comparison  of  our 
observations  at  different  epochs  as  the  subject 
would  require. 

The  disturbing  influence  of  atmospheric  changes 
renders  this  a  most  perplexing  question.  I  can 
speak  with  more  confidence  of  the  variable  char- 
acter of  several  of  the  stars  in  its  neighborhood,  or 
immersed  in  its  light,  but  even  here  the  influence 
of  the  masses  of  nebulosity  is  such  as  to  make 
every  prevention  necessary  to  avoid  deception. 
Still,  I  cannot  avoid  concluding  from  my  own  com- 
parisons alone,  and  quite  independent!}'  of  your 
results,  that  there  are  a  sufficient  number  of  well- 
established  instances  of  variability  to  awaken  very 
special  interest. 

I  look  forward  with  impatience  to  the  time  when 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        203 

at  least  a  partial  release  from  duties  which  now 
require  all  my  attention  will  leave  me  at  leisure  to 
take  up  the  discussion  of  our  observations  upon  the 
nebula,  preparatory  to  their  publication.  In  refer- 
ence to  Mr.  SAFFORD'S  discussion  of  the  mass  of 
Neptune  from  the  perturbations  of  Uranus,  I  am 
sorry  to  say  that  he  has  been  obliged  for  the  pres- 
ent to  defer  the  publication  of  the  details  of  the 
investigation,  because  our  reduced  force  at  the 
observatory  has  made  its  current  work  press  more 
heavily  on  those  remaining,  and  left  no  time  for 
excursions  beyond  its  strict  routine. 

When  in  Europe,  I  was  told  by  Professor  ARGE- 
LANDER  (whom  I  saw  only  a  week  or  two  after  you 
left  Bonn)  that  you  had  of  late  suffered  from  ill- 
health,  and  your  letter  also  intimates  the  same. 
I  earnestly  hope  that  this  may  prove  only  a  tempo- 
rary drawback  to  your  activit}'. 

With  my  best  regards  to  your  father, 
I  am  with  much  respect, 

Very  trulv  yours, 

"G.  P.  BOND. 


FROM  PROF.  J.  CLERK-MAXWELL  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

GLENLAIR  HOUSE,  DALBEATTIE,  SCOTLAND,  1 
1863,  August  25.  / 

Dear  Sir:  — 

I  shall  study  what  you  say  about  Saturn  in 
your  letter  when  I  see  your  drawings  and  observa- 
tions. I  have  no  doubt  that  the  time  is  coming 
when  we  shall  know  more  about  the  heavenly 
bodies  than  that  they  attract  each  other  from  a  dis- 
tance. In  Saturn's  ring  we  certainly  have  a  very 
wonderful  object  to  examine,,  and  when  we  come 
to  understand  it  we  shall  certainly  know  more 
mechanics  than  we  do  now. 


204  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Your  observations  of  comets'  tails  go  far  to  ren- 
der them  legitimate  subjects  of  speculation,  and  I 
think  that  when  we  have  mastered  the  theory  of 
these  tails  we  shall  know  more  about  what  the 
heavens  are  made  of.  I  think  the  heavenly  spaces 
are  by  no  means  empty,  since,  as  THOMSON  has 
shown,  a  cubic  mile  of  sunlight,  even  at  the  earth's 
distance,  is  worth,  mechanically,  12,050  foot-pounds; 
and  a  cubic  foot  of  space  near  the  sun  can  contain 
energy  equal  to  .0038  foot-pound,  at  least.  This  is 
under  ordinary  circumstances,  and  gives  an  esti- 
mate of  the  amount  of  strain  which  the  medium 
has  been  for  ages  subjected  to,  without  in  any  way 
giving  way.  But  we  have  no  reason  to  believe 
that  if  the  sun's  heat  were  increased  1000-fold,  the 
medium  would  be  unable  to  transmit  it,  or  wrould 
break  down  under  the  forces  applied.  We  have  there- 
fore no  knowledge  of  the  ultimate  strength  of  the 
heavenly  medium;  but  it  is  well  able  to  do  all  that 
is  required  of  it,  whether  we  give  it  nothing  to  do 
but  to  transmit  light  and  heat,  or  whether  we  make 
it  the  machinery  of  magnetism  and  electricity  also, 
and  at  last  assign  gravitation  itself  to  its  power. 

If  we  could  understand  how  the  pressure  of  a 
dense  body  could  produce  a  linear  pressure  radiat- 
ing out  in  straight  lines  from  the  body,  and  keep  up 
this  kind  of  pressure  continually,  then  gravitation 
would  be  explained  on  mechanical  principles,  and 
the  attraction  of  two  bodies  would  be  the  conse- 
quence of  the  repulsive  action  of  the  lines  of  pres- 
sure in  the  medium. 

For  instance,  in  the  case  of  a  body  [P]  at  a  dis- 
tance from  the  sun  [S],  the  equation  to  the  lines  of 
force  would  be  [diagram  omitted] :  — 

Pcos0+r2sin1'0  =  C. 

Where  r  is  the  distance  from  P,  and  0  the  angle 
which  r  makes  with  PS. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        205 

There  are  two  sets  of  lines  separated  by  the  sur- 
face of  revolution  whose  equation  is  got  by  making 
c=p.  r2=  -  This  surface  has  the^  general  shape 


of  a  paraboloid  of  revolution,  but  suggests  the 
appearance  of  a  comet's  tail,  being  more  like  a 
catenary  than  a  parabola  near  the  head.  Is  there 
anything  about  a  comet  to  render  its  lines  of 
force  visible,  and  not  those  of  a  planet  which  are 
stronger?  I  think  that  visible  lines  of  gravitating 
force  are  extremely  improbable,  but  I  never  saw 
anything  so  like  them  as  some  tails  of  comets. 
What  HERSCHEL  says  about  the  repulsive  action  of 
the  sun  leaves  unexplained  the  fact  that  the  motion 
of  the  nucleus  is  that  of  a  body  gravitating  toward 
the  sun  with  a  force  neither  more  nor  less  than  that 
of  ordinary  matter.  If  there  were  at  any  time  in 
the  comet  matter  which  was  not  gravitating,  or  not 
gravitating  to  the  same  extent  as  earthly  matter, 
then  the  path  of  the  comet  would  be  less  curved  to 
the  sun  than  if  it  were  made  of  ordinary  matter, 
and  therefore  calculations  depending  upon  the 
common  value  of  the  sun's  attractive  power  would 
not  give  the  true  path  of  comets. 

I  have  nothing  yet  to  send  you,  but  we  are 
making  a  report  on  electrical  measurements  for 
the  British  Association  which  I  will  send  you 
when  I  get  copies,  and  if  you  will  inform  me  of 
any  electrical  men  in  America,  I  will  bring  forward 
their  claim  to  have  copies  of  the  Standard  Coil  of 
Electrical  Resistance.  We  have  hopes  of  producing 
coils  next  winter,  the  resistance  of  which  is  known 
to  within  a  small  fraction  in  electromagnetic  units. 
Such  coils  may  be  employed  in  measuring  electro- 
motive forces,  in  determining  the  mechanical 
equivalent  of  heat,  and  in  other  researches.  The 
present  measures  of  resistance  in  absolute  units  vary 
by  six  or  seven  per  cent.,  but  I  think  we  are  already 
safe  within  one-half  of  one  per  cent.,  and  I  see  how 


206  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

to  make  determinations  quite  as  exact  as  we  can 
determine  the  size  of  our  coil  in  meters. 

In  the  course  of  our  work  we  have  had  to  obtain 
a  constant  velocity  of  rotation.  This  was  secured 
by  means  of  a  governor  invented  by  Mr.  FLEEMING 
JENKIN;  but  we  propose  to  make  a  new  governor, 
combining  the  principles  of  Professor  W.  THOMSON 
and  Mr.  JENKIN;  we  hope  to  get  good  results,  com- 
parable with  clockwork.  I  have  been  studying  the 
mathematical  principles  of  governors,  and  I  have 
been  able  to  detect  the  sources  of  irregularities  in 
the  motion,  and  I  hope  to  correct  them.  We  mean 
to  expose  the  new  governor  to  severe  tests  by  sud- 
den variations  of  driving  power,  and  if  we  find  it 
answer  I  hope  it  will  be  taken  into  consideration 
in  devising  moving  power  for  large  equatorials. 
The  dynamics  of  governors  is  exceedingly  interest- 
ing, on  account  of  the  number  of  conditions  which 
may  be  introduced  by  various  arrangements  of  the 
machinery,  and  the  different  and  sometimes  oppo- 
site effects  of  these  on  the  stability  of  the  motion. 

I  am  exceedingly  obliged  to  you  for  your  kind- 
ness in  sending  the  books.  I  hope  to  be  able  to 
say  so  again  when  I  have  read  the  part  about 
Saturn.  I  think  the  visibility  of  the  ring  under 
oblique  sunshine  shows  that  its  surface  is  very 
rough,  the  roughness  not  being  like  that  of  paper 
or  sandstone,  but  like  that  of  a  wilderness  of  sharp 
rocks,  so  that  we,  being  on  the  same  side  as  the 
sun,  see  nearly  every  spot  of  sunshine,  while  most 
of  the  shadows  are  hid  by  their  respective  objects. 
ARAGO'S  test  of  the  solidity  of  a  heavenly  body  by 
polarized  light  supposes  the  solid  body  to  be  as 
smooth  as  a  rough  bar  of  iron,  if  not  actually 
polished,  whereas  the  smoothest  part  of  our  earth 
is  a  paved  street,  and  even  the  sea  is  generally  too 
rough  to  polarize  much  light. 

With  much  respect,  yours  truly, 

J.  CLERK-MAXWELL. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond        207 
FROM   PROFESSOR   SCHOENFELD  TO  GEORGE   BOND. 

(TRANSLATION). 

MANNHEIM,  1863,  December  16. 
Dear  Sir: — 

The  first  occasion  for  these  lines  is  the  expres- 
sion of  my  thanks  for  your  last  letter  and  its  enclo- 
sure of  [the  places  of]  new  nebulse2  which  was  very 
welcome.  I  shall,  it  is  true,  be  able  to  observe  only 
a  part  of  them  with  my  telescope.  .  .  .  Please 
accept,  therefore,  my  heartiest  thanks,  and  the  assur- 
ance that  I  should  hardly  have  ventured  the  request 
for  these  positions  had  I  been  able  to  estimate  the 
length  of  the  list. 

Your  opinion,  that  it  is  probable  that  the- 
nebulse  as  a  class  are  not  separated  from  the  fixed 
stars  by  relatively  great  distances,  I  agree  with 
entirely. 

Above  all  else,  the  manifold  nature  of  the  Magel- 
lanic  clouds — in  which  single  and  double  stars, 
star  clusters  of  every  degree  of  condensation  and 
nebulae  of  every  degree  of  resolvability  are  found 
commingled  —  seems  to  me  entirely  irreconcilable- 
with  the  contrary  view;  not  to  speak  of  such 
remarkable  combinations  as  we  find  in  h  (399)  and 
other  nebulae.  I  think,  indeed,  that  there  would 
not  be  so  much  opposition  to  the  theory  that 
nebulae  and  fixed  stars  together  constitute  a  single 
system,  if  the  doctrine  of  the  development  of  nebulae 
into  perfect  stars,  which  HERSCHEL  connected  with 
it,  had  excited  less  opposition.  Nevertheless,  it 
seems  to  me  that  the  two  theories  can  be  consid- 
ered independently;  the  latter  I  cannot  fully  under- 
stand, while  the  former  seems  very  plausible. 

The  successive  parts  of  my  observations  I  shall, 
of  course,  send  to  you  as  well  as  to  the  observa- 
tory; but  my  hope  to  be  able  to  complete  the  col- 
lection of  the  material  for  the  second  section  this 
winter  seems,  unfortunately,  unlikely  to  be  realized,. 


208  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

as  the  summer  and  autumn  have  been  very  unfa- 
vorable. 

.  .  .  As  to  the  newly-established  AstronomiscJie 
Gesellscha/t,  it  seems  to  meet  with  the  approval 
necessary  to  increase  its  resources.  Up  to  the  pres- 
ent time  it  has  ninety-four  members,  a  number  of 
whom  are  not  astronomers.  Many  of  the  more 
influential  older  German  astronomers  seem,  how- 
ever, to  hold  themselves  aloof.  For  instance,  13. 
PETERS,  HANSEN  and  ENCKE  have  not  joined. 
(ENCKE  has,  moreover,  resigned  the  directorship  of 
the  Berlin  Observatory  and  has  retired.)  On  the 
other  hand,  among  the  members,  in  addition  to 
those  already  known  to  you,  are  GERLING,  SCHWERD, 
MAEDLER,  LITTROW,  SEIDEL,  BRUENNOW  and  almost 
all  the  younger  German  astronomers.  Besides,  as 
you  will  have  noticed  in  the  constitution,  the  mem- 
bership is  not  limited  to  Germany.  We  count,  as 
members,  nearly  all  the  Italian  astronomers  (except 
only  PLANA,  DONATI  and  SECCHI,  I  think),  several 
Swedes,  a  few  Frenchmen  (not  well  known  to  me 
otherwise),  WOLF  and  PLANTAMOUR  among  the 
Swiss,  and  among  the  English,  Professor  ADAMS, 
besides  Captain  OOM  in  Lisbon.  In  fact,  the  society 
transcends  the  boundaries  of  Europe  —  Doctor 
MONTY  in  Tifiis  and  Doctor  NEWMANN  in  Peking 
(astronomer  of  the  Russian  society  in  that  place) 
are  members.  In  the  name  of  the  society,  I  express 
to  you  my  heartiest  thanks  for  the  interest  with 
which  you  regard  it.  ...  As  the  society  has 
now  extended  itself  beyond  the  limits  of  Europe, 
I  hope  you  will  not  consider  it  impertinent  of  me 
to  remark  that,  if  the  great  distance  does  not  deter 
you,  there  is  no  obstacle  on  our  part  to  your  becom- 
ing an  active  member.  On  the  contrary,  I  am  con- 
vinced that  not  only  I,  but  all  other  members,  would 
consider  it  an  honor  to  welcome  you  as  a  fellow- 
member.  It  is  true,  I  feel  the  society  cannot  offer 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       209 

you  much,  aside  from  its  publications  and  reports, 
as  you  will  [not]  have  much  opportunity  to  take 
part  in  its  meetings. 

The  consciousness  that  you  are  supporting  a 
good  cause  may,  however,  be  a  motive  for  joining. 
Our  science  is  surely  in  no  sense  national,  but 
rather  cosmopolitan.  In  case  you  should  be  in- 
clined to  join  us,  let  me  add  that,  until  the  close  of 
this  year,  the  mere  statement  is  sufficient.  I  have 
postponed  my  letter  so  long,  however,  that  little  of 
the  year  is  left.  But  if  you  send  the  statement  a 
few  days  later,  under  date  of  December  31,  1863,  it 
will  answer;  and  if  not,  the  admission  will,  of 
course,  follow,  through  the  unanimous  vote  of  the 
directors.  I  beg  you,  therefore,  to  overlook  my 
freedom  in  this  matter,  and  to  give  me  the  pleasure 
of  an  early  and  favorable  reply. 

My  wife  and  I  never  think  of  your  visit  with  us 
without  pleasure,  and  I  am  sincerely  glad  to  have 
become  personally  acquainted  with  you.  My  wife 
requests  me  to  send  her  best  regards  to  yourself 
and  to  your  daughters.  I  am, 

Yours  most  sincerely, 

E.  SCHOENFELD. 


FROM  HON.  WILLIAM  MITCHELL*  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

LYNN,  January  26,  1864. 

I  enclose,  my  dear  fellow,  the  autograph  of  a 
distinguished  citizen  of  Boston,  the  ex-president 
of  the  college  and  a  member  of  the  Observatory 
Committee.t  It  was  offered  as  an  addition  to  the 


*  A  member  of  the  Board  of  Visitors  1849-65,  chairman  of 
the  board  1857-65;  member  of  the  Board  of  Overseers  1857-65. 
He  was  a  Quaker,  an  amateur  astronomer  of  ability,  and  the 
father  of  MARIA  MITCHELL. 

fThe  member  referred  to  is  ex-president  EDWARD  EV- 
ERETT. 

O 


210  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

report  which  I  had  prepared,  and  it  was  unani- 
mously accepted.  The  remarks  which  he  made  at 
length  in  its  support  were  of  a  most  flattering  char- 
acter, and  they  met  the  hearty  response  of  every 
member  of  the  board. 

Very  truly  and  ever  thine. 

WM.  MITCHELL. 

"  The  committee,  in  conclusion,  beg  here  to  per- 
form a  grateful  duty  in  bearing  testimony  to  the 
diligence,  fidelity  and  success  with  which  the  Direc- 
tor of  the  Observatory  continues  to  fill  his  arduous 
and  responsible  duties.  It  affords  them  much  satis- 
faction to  know  that  his  rank  among  the.  most 
distinguished  living  observers  is  fully  recognized 
by  the  most  eminent  astronomers  and  scientific 
bodies  of  Europe." 


FROM  GEORGE  BOND  TO  DR.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS. 

CAMBRIDGE,  July  2, 1864. 
My  Dear  Sir:  — 

It  was  a  pleasure  to  us  all  to  recognize  again 
your  handwriting  —  not  the  least  to  the  little  girls, 
who  insist  that  I  should  write  to  ask  you  to  make 
a  visit  to  Cambridge,  in  which  I  cordially  join. 
We  should  have  notes  to  compare,  and  you  must 
have  collected  much  information  which  would  be 
of  mutual  interest.  .  .  . 

Mr.  ROGERS,*  of  Alfred  Centre,  who  was  formerly 
a  pupil  in  astronomy  here,  has  been  staying  at  the 
observatory,  for  the  sake  of  study  and  practice,  for 
a  few  months  past.  He  has  the  true  zeal  and  entire 
honesty  of  character,  which  I  must  say  does  seem 
to  be  a  trait  not  over-prominent  among  American 


*  WILLIAM  A.   ROGERS,  for  many  years  assistant  Harvard 
College  Observatory  and  Professor  of  Colby  University. 


savants.     As  a  case  in  point,  what  do  you  think 

of of publishing  that  article  on , 

in  Silliman's  Journal  for  March,  1863,  as  an  original 

method?     When ,  in   the   same  journal  for 

July,  1864,  reproduces  the  same,  "  faithfully  "  trans- 
cribed from  Doctor  BRUENNOW'S  lectures  at  Ann 
Arbor  in  1858,  at  which was  one  of  the  audi- 
tors. You  will  see  that has  appropriated 

from  BRUENNOW,  without  a  syllable  of  acknowledg- 
ment, the  whole  substance  of  the  method,  embel- 
lishing it  with  a  little  fancy  work  of  his  own, 
which  amounts  to  nothing  but  a  flimsy  conceal- 
ment of  the  outrage. 

You  have  seen,  of  course,  Dr.  TAPPAN'S  state- 
ment of  affairs  at  Ann  Arbor,  which  led  to  his  and 
BRUENNOW'S  resignation. 

Believe  me  very  truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 

[The  blanks  in  the  printed  letter  were  filled  in 
the  original.] 


FROM  GEORGE  BOND  TO  DR.  HENRY  DRAPER. 

OBSERVATORY  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE,      \ 
CAMBRIDGE,  Mass.,  November  15,  1864.  / 
Dear  Sir:  — 

Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  FOLSOM,  I  have 
received,  in  perfect  condition,  the  magnificent  pho- 
tograph of  the  moon,  with  the  accompanying 
memoir,  which  you  have  presented  to  the  observa- 
tory. Please  accept  my  best  thanks  for  this  fine 
specimen  of  your  successful  labors  in  celestial  pho- 
tography. You  seem  to  have  surrounded  yourself 
with  advantages  quite  unrivaled.  Chief  among 
them,  I  should  reckon  that  of  joining  to  your  own 


212  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

knowledge  of  the  theory  of  the  chemical  process 
involved,  the  fruit  of  your  father's  long  experience 
and  profound  researches. 

Will  you  allow  me  to  suggest  to  you  the  great 
importance  of  attaining  such  a  degree  of  sensitive- 
ness in  the  plates  that  they  will  furnish,  at  moder- 
ate exposures,  images  of  telescopic  stars?  There  is 
no  method  known  of  determining  the  distance  and 
angle  of  position  of  double  stars,  which  is  so  exact 
as  that  by  photography;  but  our  experiments  at 
this  observatory  have  been  arrested  at  about  the 
sixth  —  seventh  —  magnitude.  I  believe  that  we 
shall  never  know  how  much  may  be  accomplished 
in  astronomy  by  this  beautiful  art,  until  some  one 
imbued  like  yourself  with  zeal  and  the  knowledge 
which  comes  only  from  practical  experience,  shall 
transfer  his  apparatus  to  more  favored  skies,  whose 
atmospheric  disturbances  shall  be  less  annoying 
than  here. 

In  our  climate  the  case  is  absolutely  hopeless. 
Through  seventeen  years,  during  which  I  have 
constantly  used  a  large  telescope,  it  has  never 
afforded  me  a  glimpse  of  the  image  of  a  celestial 
object  not  sensibly  deteriorated  by  undulations  in 
our  atmosphere.  Respectfully  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


FROM  DR.  HENRY  DRAPER  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

UNIVERSITY  OF  NEW  YORK,  November  21,  1864. 

Dear  Sir:  — 

I  have  just  received  your  note,  and  am  much 
pleased  to  find  that  the  photograph  has  reached 
you  in  good,  condition.  I  shall  write  to  thank  Mr. 
FOLSOM  for  the  trouble  he  has  taken,  as  soon  as  I 
can  procure  his  address. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       213 

The  remarks  you  make,  concerning  the  atmos- 
phere in  which  we  have  to  work  here,  coincide 
with  those  that  I  have  been  compelled  to  make 
in  some  recent  papers  for  the  London  journals. 
I  do  not  see  the  way  to  doing  much  better  at  this 
level. 

...  It  has  seemed  to  me  probable  that  the 
best  place  for  celestial  photography  would  be  some- 
where on  the  west  coast  of  South  America  —  near 
the  equator,  for  instance, —  in  the  neigborhood  of 
Quito,  and  at  a  considerable  altitude  above  the  sea. 
In  this  locality,  the  nights  on  which  it  has  been 
worth  while  to  work  at  the  moon  in  the  past  two 
years  have  only  been  three  or  four  in  number,  and 
even  on  these,  a  bright  star  would  exhibit  some 
flickering  motion.  I  have  never  seen  an  occasion 
on  which  the  full  optical  power  of  the  15J-inch 
mirror  could  be  realized,  and  images  obtained 
equal  to  those  seen  when  only  a  short  column 
of  air  is  used,  as  in  testing  the  figure  at  the  centre 
of  curvature. 

The  cost,  however,  of  an  expedition  to  a  distance 
is  greater  than  an  amateur  could  meet,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  the  time  required.  I  trust  that  we  may 
soon  see  the  capabilities  of  photography  applied  to 
astronomy  thoroughly  investigated. 

My  attention  has  already  been  attracted  to  stellar 
photography  by  the  excellent  results  you  obtained 
and  published.  I  have  made  and  mounted,  equa- 
torially,  a  nine-inch  mirror  for  studying  that  branch 
of  the  subject,  but  have  not  as  yet  had  a  fair  oppor- 
tunity of  using  it. 

With  many  thanks  for  the  kind  expressions  con- 
tained in  your  letter,  I  remain, 

Yours  truly, 

HENRY  DRAPER. 


214  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

To  PROFESSOR  ASAPH  HALL  FROM  GEORGE  BOND. 

January  7,  1865. 


My  disease  makes  progress,  and  leaves  me  little 
hope  of  putting  the  materials  of  my  work  on  Orion 
— to  which  I  had  devoted  so  much  labor — into 
condition  such  that  another  could  prepare  them  for 
press.  In  truth,  I  am  becoming  resigned  to  the 
idea  that  most  of  it  is  destined  to  oblivion. 

I  had  planned  to  accomplish  something  consid- 
erable, and  this  is  the  end.  "  It  is  not  in  man  that 
walketh  to  direct  his  steps." 

Very  truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


FROM  DR.  C.  H.  F.  PETERS  TO  GEORGE  BOND. 

HAMILTON  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY,  1 
February  1,  1865.  j 

My  Dear  Sir:  — 

A  few  days  ago  I  learned  that  your  health  is 
very  bad.  This  has  put  me  into  the  greatest  anx- 
iety, for  you  may  surely  believe  there  are  few  who 
appreciate  and  esteem  you  as  much  as  I  do.  You 
will  pardon  me,  therefore,  if  I  suggest  and  urge 
upon  you  the  necessity  of  dwelling  for  some  time 
in  a  warmer  climate,  abstaining  for  a  little  time 
from  such  hard  working  as  you  do,  and  living 
entirely  for  regaining  your  physical  health.  I  beg 
you,  for  the  sake  of  science,  for  your  children,  for 
your  friends.  Go  as  soon  as  possible,  at  least  before 
the  poisonous  thaws  of  spring  set  in. 


Correspondence  of  George  Bond       215 

I  beg  you,  once  more,  consider  my  suggestion, 
which  flows  from  sincere  friendship. 

Yours  very  truly, 

C.  H.  F.  PETERS. 


FROM  THE  FOREIGN  SECRETARY  OF  THE  ROYAL 
ASTRONOMICAL  SOCIETY  TO  PROFESSOR  GEORGE 
BOND. 

ROYAL  ASTRONOMICAL  SOCIETY,  1 

SOMERSET  HOUSE,  LONDON,  10  February,  1865.*  j 

My  Dear  Sir: — 

I  have  the  pleasing  duty  of  forwarding  to 
you  the  gold  medal  of  the  Royal  Astronomical 
Society,  which  has  been  awarded  to  you  this  day, 
"  for  your  work  on  the  Comet  of  DONATI,  and  for 
your  other  astronomical  labors." 

I  profit  by  this  opportunity  to  assure  you  of  the 
high  esteem  in  which  you  are  held  by  the  Fellows 
of  the  Royal  Astronomical  Society,  and  of  the  inter- 
est which  they  take  in  your  scientific  pursuits.  Be 
assured  of  my  respect  and  kind  regard,  and  believe 
me,  my  dear  sir,  Yours  most  truly, 

R.  H.  MANNERS, 

Vice-Admiral,  Foreign  Secretary  of  R.  A.  S. 

P.  S. — I  will  take  care  to  send  you  the  Presi- 
dent's address  to  the  society,  on  the  reasons  for 
awarding  the  medal,  as  soon  as  it  is  printed. 


*  BOND  died  on  the  17th  of  February,  1865,  before  this  letter 
reached  him.  Private  advices  from  his  friends  in  London, 
Doctor  DE  LA  RUE  and  others,  had  informed  him  of  the 
intended  award,  however. 


THE    SCIENTIFIC    WORK    OP    WILLIAM    AND 
GEORGE    BOND* 

IN  order  to  understand  the  services  which  were 
rendered  by  the  BONDS  to  the  science  of  their 
country,  it  is  necessary  to  picture  to  ourselves  the 
conditions  which  existed  in  America  during  the 
first  portions  of  the  present  century,  and  to  glance 
at  the  work  of  individuals  and  of  the  earliest  insti- 
tutions and  centres  of  influence.  It  requires  an 
individual  to  create  and  organize  an  institution. 
It  is  impossible,  even  in  the  briefest  sketch,  not  to 
emphasize  the  debt  of  American  science  and  learn- 
ing to  the  intelligent  interest  and  patronage  of  our 
early  Presidents — WASHINGTON,  JOHN  ADAMS,  JEF- 
FERSON, MADISON,  MONROE,  JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS. 
The  powerful  impetus  given  by  them  and  through 
them  has  shaped  the  liberal  policy  of  our  govern- 
ments, National  and  State,  towards  education  and 
towards  science.  Sir  LYON  PLAYFAIR,  in  his 
address  to  the  British  Association  for  the  Advance- 


*The  first  pages  of  this  chapter  were  printed  in  Science 
for  June  18,  1897,  under  the  title  "  The  Beginnings  of  American 
Astronomy." 


Scientific    Work  of  the  Bonds          217 

ment  of  Science  (1885),  has  recognized  this  influ- 
ence in  the  truest  and  most  graceful  way.  He  said : — 

"  In  the  United  Kingdom  we  are  just  beginning 
to  understand  the  wisdom  of  WASHINGTON'S  Fare- 
well Address  to  his  Countrymen  (1796),  when  he 
said :  '  Promote,  as  an  object  of  primary  import- 
ance, institutions  for  the  increase  and  diffusion  of 
knowledge;  in  proportion  as  the  structure  of  a  gov- 
ernment gives  force  to  public  opinion,  it  is  essential 
that  public  opinion  should  be  enlightened.'" 

Until  the  Revolution  (1776)  American  science 
was  but  English  science  transplanted,  and  it  looked 
to  the  Royal  Society  of  London  as  its  censor  and 
patron.  WINTHROP,  FRANKLIN  and  RITTENHOUSE 
were,  more  or  less,  English  astronomers.  FRANKLIN 
was  the  sturdiest  American  of  the  three.  As  early 
as  1743  he  suggested  the  formation  of  the  Ameri- 
can Philosophical  Society  of  Philadelphia.  JOHN 
ADAMS  founded  the  American  Academy  of  Arts 
and  Sciences  in  Boston  in  1780.  These  two  socie- 
ties, together  with  Harvard  College  (founded  in 
1636),  Yale  College  (1701),  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia (founded  by  JEFFERSON  in  1825)  and  the  U.  S. 
Military  Academy  at  West  Point  (1801)  were  the 
chief  foci  from  which  the  light  of  learning  spread. 

The  leading  school  of  pure  science  was  the 
Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  and  it  continued 
to  hold  this  place  till  the  Civil  War  (1861). 


218  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

From  its  corps  of  professors  and  students  it  gave 
two  chiefs  to  the  United  States  Coast  Survey;  and 
the  Army,  particularly  the  Corps  of  Engineers, 
provided  many  observers  to  that  scientific  estab- 
lishment, besides  furnishing  a  large  number  of 
professors  and  teachers  of  science  to  the  colleges  of 
the  country.*  The  observatory  of  the  Academy  was 
founded  by  BARTLETT  in  1841,  and  considerable 
work  was  done  there — only  a  small  part  of  which  is 
published.  The  Coast  Survey  was  a  school  of  astro- 
nomical practice  for  army  officers,  and  their  experi- 
ence was  utilized  in  the  numerous  boundary  surveys 
of  1830-50.  Col.  J.  D.  GRAHAM,  of  the  Engineers, 
for  example,  was  astronomer  of  the  survey  of 
the  boundary  between  Texas  and  the  United 
States  in  1839-40;  commissioner  of  the  northeast 
boundary  survey,  1840-43;  astronomer  of  the  north- 
west boundary  survey,  1843-47;  of  the  boundary 
survey  between  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
1848-50;  of  the  survey  of  the  boundary  between 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  1849-50;  of  the  bound- 
ary survey  between  Mexico  and  the  United  States, 
1850-51.  The  names  of  BONNEVILLE,  TALCOTT, 
CRAM,  EMORY  and  other  army  officers  are  familiar 

*  Civil  occupations  of  graduates  of  the  United  States  Mili- 
tary Academy,  1802-78:  presidents  of  universities  and  col- 
leges, 35;  principals  of  academies  and  schools,  27;  regents  and 
chancellors  of  educational  institutions,  11;  professors  and 
teachers,  119,  etc.,  etc. 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  219 

in  this  connection,  and  their  work  was  generally  of 
a  high  order.  It  was  in  such  service  that  TALCOTT 
invented,  or  re-invented,  the  zenith  telescope,  now 
universally  employed  for  all  delicate  determinations 
of  latitude.  The  mechanical  tact  of  Americans 
has  served  astronomy  well.  The  sextant  was  in- 
vented by  THOMAS  GODFRAY,  of  Philadelphia,  in 
1730,  a  year  before  HADLEY  brought  forward  his 
proposal  for  such  an  instrument.*  The  chrono- 
graph of  the  BONDS,  the  zenith  telescope  of  TAL- 
COTT, the  break-circuit  chronometer  of  WINLOCK 
are  universally  used.  The  diffraction  gratings  of 
RUTHERFURD  were  the  best  to  be  had  in  the  world 
till  they  were  replaced  by  those  of  ROWLAND.  The 
use  of  a  telescope  as  a  collimator  was  first  proposed 
by  RITTENHOUSE.  The  pioneer  opticians  of  the 
United  States  were  HOLCOMB  (1826),  FITZ  (1846  or 
earlier),  CLARK  (1845),  SPENCER  (1851).  Only  the 
CLARKS  have  a  world-wide  reputation.  WUERDE- 
MANN,  instrument-maker  to  the  United  States  Coast 
Survey  (1834),  had  a  decided  influence  on  observ- 
ers and  instrument-makers  throughout  the  United 
States,  as  he  introduced  among  us  extreme  German 


*  In  1700  Sir  ISAAC  NEWTON  sent  drawings  and  descriptions 
of  a  reflecting  sextant  to  HALLEY  for  his  advice.  At  HAL- 
LEY'S  death  these  were  found  among  his  papers.  HADLEY'S 
device  (1731)  was  undoubtedly  derived  from  NEWTON'S  manu- 
script. The  Royal  Society  of  London  granted  £200  to  GODFRAY 
for  his  reflecting  quadrant. 


220  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

methods  where  extreme  English  methods  had 
formerly  prevailed. 

The  system  of  rectangular  land  surveys,  which 
proved  so  convenient  for  the  public  lands  east  of 
the  Rocky  mountains,  was  devised  and  executed 
by  MANSFIELD,  a  graduate  of  the  Military  Academy. 

The  list  of  army  officers  who  became  distin- 
guished in  civil  life  as  professors  in  the  colleges  of 
the  country,  is  a  very  large  one.  COURTENAY  (class 
of  1821  at  West  Point)  was  professor  of  mathematics 
at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  1834-36,  and  at 
the  University  of  Virginia  1842-43,  and  the  author 
of  admirable  text-books.  NORTON  (class  of  1831) 
became  professor  at  New  Haven,  and  wrote  a  very 
useful  text-book  of  astronomy  in  1839;  and  the 
list  could  be  much  extended.  The  excellent  train- 
ing in  mathematics  at  West  Point  (chiefly  in  French 
methods)  early  made  itself  felt  throughout  the 
whole  country.  The  mathematical  text-books  of 
PEIRCE,  of  Harvard,  and  of  CHAUVENET,  of  Anna- 
polis, brought  the  latest  learning  of  Europe  to  Ameri- 
can students.  MITCHEL  (class  of  1829  at  West  Point) 
was  the  only  graduate  who  became  a  professional 
astronomer  (1842-61).  His  direct  service  to  practi- 
cal observing  astronomy  is  small,  but  his  lectures 
(1842-48),  the  conduct  of  the  Cincinnati  Observatory 
(1845-59),  and  his  publication  of  the  Sidereal  Messen- 
ger (1846-48),  together  with  his  popular  books, 


-Their  Scientific   Work  221 

excited  an  intense  and  wide-spread  public  interest 
in  the  science,  and  indirectly  led  to  the  foundation 
of  many  observatories.  He  was  earl}7  concerned  in 
the  matter  of  utilizing  the  electric  current  for  longi- 
tude determinations,  and  his  apparatus  was  only 
displaced  because  of  the  superior  excellence  of  the 
chronograph  devised  by  the  BONDS.  His  work  was 
done,  under  immense  disadvantages,  in  a  new  com- 
munity (Ohio),  but  the  endowment  of  astronomical 
research  in  America  owes  a  large  debt  to  his  energy 
and  efforts. 

The  Navy  and  the  United  States  Naval  Academy 
(founded  by  BANCROFT,  1845,  at  the  suggestion  of 
CHAUVENET),  were  very  active  in  astronomical  work. 
CHAUVENET  (Yale  College,  1840)  published  a  text- 
book of  trigonometry,  in  1850,  which  had  an 
important  share  in  directing  attention  to  rigid, 
elegant  and  general  methods  of  research.  His 
Astronomy  (1863)  is  a  handbook  for  all  students. 
WALKER,  GILLISS,  COFFIN,  HUBBARD,  FERGUSON, 
KEITH,  YARNALL,  WINLOCK,  MAURY,  WILKES,  were 
all  connected  with  the  Navy,  more  or  less  inti- 
mately. WALKER'S  career  was  especially  brilliant. 
He  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1825,  and 
established  the  observatory  of  the  Philadelphia 
High  School  in  1840.  He  was  the  leading  spirit  in 
the  Naval  Observatory  at.  Washington,  1845-47, 
and  introduced  modern  methods  into  its  practice 


222  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

at  the  beginning.  From  the  observatory  he  went 
to  the  Coast  Survey  to  take  charge  of  its  longitude 
operations,  and  he  continued  to  direct  and  expand 
this  department  until  his  death,  in  1853.  To  him, 
more  than  to  any  single  person,  is  due  the  idea  of 
the  telegraphic  method  ("the  American  method")  of 
determining  longitude.  His  able  assistant  in  this 
work  was  GOULD,  who  succeeded  to  the  charge  of  it  in 
1853.  WALKER'S  researches  extended  to  the  field  of 
mathematical  astronomy,  also,  and  his  theory  of 
Neptune  (then  newly  discovered)  marks  an  impor- 
tant step  forward.  His  investigations  and  those  of 
PEIRCE  were  conducted  in  concert,  and  attracted 
general  and  deserved  attention. 

The  Coast  Survey  began  its  work  in  1817,  under 
HASSLER,  a  professor  from  West  Point,  who  im- 
pressed upon  the  establishment  a  thoroughly  scien- 
tific direction.  BACHE,  his  successor  (a  grandson  of 
BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN),  was  a  graduate  of  West 
Point  in  the  class  of  1825,  and  took  charge  of  the 
survey  in  1843.  He  is  the  true  father  of  the  insti- 
tution and  gave  it  its  practical  efficiency  and  high 
standard.  He  called  around  him  the  flower  of 
the  army  and  navy,  and  was  ably  seconded  by  the 
permanent  corps  of  civilians,  assistants  of  the  sur- 
vey (WALKER,  SAXTON,  GOULD,  DEAN,  BLUNT,  POUR- 
TALES,  BOUTELLE,  HlLGARD,  SCHOTT,  GoODFELLOW,. 

CUTTS,  DAVIDSON,  and  others). 


-  Their  Scientific  Work  223 

SILLIMAN'S  (and  DANA'S)  American  Journal  of 
Science  had  been  founded  at  New  Haven  in  1818, 
and  served  as  a  medium  of  communication  among 
scientific  men.  A  great  step  forward  was  made  in 
the  establishment  of  the  Astronomical  Journal  by 
Doctor  GOULD,  on  his  return  from  Europe  at  the 
close  of  1849.*  Sillimaris  Journal  was  chiefly  con- 
cerned with  the  non-mathematical  sciences  though 
it  has  always  contained  valuable  papers  on  mathe- 
matics, astronomy  and  physics;  especially  from  the 
observers  of  Yale  College — OLMSTED,  HERRICK, 
BRADLEY,  NORTON,  MASON,  NEWTON,  LYMAN  and 
others.  In  MASON,  who  died  in  1840,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one,  the  country  lost  a  practical  astronomer 
of  the  highest  promise.f 

GOULD'S  Journal  was  an  organ  devoted  to  a 
special  science.  It  not  only  gave  a  convenient 
means  of  prompt  publication,  but  it  immediately 
quickened  research,  and  helped  to  enforce  stand- 
ards already  formed,  and  to  establish  new  ones. 

The  Astronomical  Notices  of  BRUENNOW  (1858-62) 
might  have  been  an  exceedingly  useful  journal 
with  an  editor  who  was  willing  to  give  more 
attention  to  details,  but,  in  spite  of  BRUENNOW'S 
charming  personality  and  great  ability,  it  had 


*  The  Astronomische  Nachrichten  had  been  founded  in  Altona 
by  SCHUMACHER  in  1821. 

t  See  the  International  Review,  vol.  10,  page  585. 


224  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

comparatively  little  influence   on  the  progress  of 
American  science. 

The  translation  of  the  Mecanique  Celeste  of  LAP- 
LACE, by  NATHANIEL  BOWDITCH;  the  supercargo  of 
a  Boston  ship  (1815-17),  marks  the  beginning  of 
an  independent  mathematical  school  in  America. 
The  first  volume  of  the  translation  appeared  in 
1829.  At  that  time  there  were  not  more  than 
two  or  three  persons  in  the  country  who  could 
read  it  critically.  The  works  of  the  great  math- 
ematicians and  astronomers  of  France  and  Ger- 
many—  LAPLACE,  LAGRANGE,  LEGENDRE,  OLBERS, 
GAUSS,  W.  STROVE,  BESSEL  —  were  almost  entirely 
unknown.  BOWDITCH'S  translation  of  the  Mecan- 
ique Celeste,  and  still  more,  his  extended  com- 
mentary, brought  this  monumental  work  to  the 
attention  of  students  and  within  their  grasp.  His 
Practical  Navigator*  contained  the  latest  and  best 
methods  for  determining  the  position  of  a  ship  at 
sea,  expressed  in  simple  rules.  American  naviga- 
tors had  no  superiors  in  the  first  half  of  this  cen- 
tury. One  of  the  sister  ships  to  that  on  which 
BOWDITCH  was  supercargo  was  visited  at  Genoa  by 
a  European  astronomer  of  note  (Baron  DE  ZACH), 


*  First  edition,  1802.  "SUMNER'S  Method  in  Navigation" 
(1843)  — a  very  original  and  valuable  contribution  from  a  Boston 
sea  captain  —  and  M AURY'S  Wind  and  Current  Charts,  begu  n  in 
1844,  are  two  other  notable  contributions  from  a  young  country 
to  an  art  as  old  as  commerce. 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  225 

who  found  that  the  latest  methods  of  working 
lunar  distances  to  determine  the  longitude,  were 
known  to  all  on  board,  sailors  as  well  as  officers. 
His  bewilderment  reached  its  climax  when  the 
navigator  called  the  negro  cook  from  the  galley 
and  bade  him  expound  the  methods  of  determin- 
ing the  longitude  to  the  distinguished  visitor.  On 
BOWDITCH'S  own  ship  there  was  "  a  crew  of  twelve 
men,  every  one  of  whom  could  take  and  work  a 
lunar  observation  as  well,  for  all  practical  purposes, 
as  Sir  ISAAC  NEWTON  himself."  Such  crews  were 
only  to  be  found  on  American  ships  (where  all 
were  cousins,  and  each  had  a  share  in  the  voyage.) 
in  the  palmy  days  of  democracy.  These  anec- 
dotes may  serve  as  illustrations  of  the  intellectual 
awakening  which  came  about  so  soon  as  our  coun- 
try was  relieved  from  the  pressure  of  the  two  wars 
of  1776  and  1812. 

An  early  visitor,  Baron  HYDE  DE  NEUviLLE(1805), 
felt  "  an  unknown  something"  in  the  air;  "a  new 
wind  blowing."  This  new  spirit,  born  of  freedom, 
entered  first  into  practical  life,  as  was  but  natural; 
science  felt  its  impulse  next,  and,  last  of  all,  a  litera- 
ture was  born.  EMERSON  hailed  it  in  1837  "as  the 
sign  of  an  indestructible  instinct.  Perhaps  the  time 
is  already  come  —  he  says  —  when  the  sluggard  intel- 
lect of  this  country  will  look  from  under  its  iron  lids 
and  fill  the  postponed  expectation  of  the  world  with 


226  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

something  better  than  the  exertions  of  mechanical 
skill.  Our  day  of  dependence,  our  long  apprentice- 
ship to  the  learning  of  other  lands  draws  to  a  close. 
The  millions  that  around  us  are  rushing  into  life 
cannot  always  be  fed  with  the  sere  remains  of  for- 
eign harvests." 

BENJAMIN  PEIRCE,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  in  the 
class  of  1828,  had  been  concerned  with  the  transla- 
tion of  the  Mecanique  Celeste,  and  was  early  familiar 
with  the  best  mathematical  thought  of  Europe.  He 
became  professor  in  Harvard  College  in  1833,  and 
after  the  death  of  BOWDITCH,  in  1838,  he  was  easily 
the  first  mathematical  astronomer  in  the  country. 
His  instruction  was  precisely  fitted  to  develop 
superior  intelligences,  and  this  was  his  prime  use- 
fulness. Just  such  a  man  was  needed  at  that  time. 
Beside  his  theoretical  researches  on  the  orbits  of 
Neptune  and  Uranus  and  the  moon,  his  studies  on 
the  theory  of  perturbations,  and  his  works  on  pure 
mathematics  and  mechanics,  he  concerned  himself 
with  questions  of  practical  astronomy,  although 
the  observations  upon  which  he  depended  were 
made  by  others.  He  was  the  consulting  astronomer 
of  the  American  Ephemeris  and  Nautical  Almanac 
from  its  foundation  in  1849,  and  its  plans  were 
shaped  by  him  to  an  important  degree. 

His  relative,  Lieutenant  DAVIS,  U.  S,  N.  (the  trans- 
lator of  GAUSS'S  Theoria  Motus  Corporum  Ctelestium 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  227 

(1857),  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Ephemeris, 
and  the  members  of  its  staff  (RUNKLE,  FERREL, 
WRIGHT,  NEWCOMB,  WINLOCK  and  others)  most 
effectively  spread  its  exact  methods  by  example 
and  precept.  Professor  PEIRCE  undertook  the  cal- 
culations relating  to  the  sun,  Mars  and  Uranus  in 
the  early  volumes  of  the  Ephemeris.  As  a  com- 
pliment to  her  sex,  Miss  MARIA  MITCHELL  was 
charged  with  those  of  Venus;  Mercury  was  com- 
puted by  WINLOCK,  Jupiter  by  KENDALL,  Saturn  by 
DOWNES,  Neptune  by  SEARS  WALKER. 

The  Smithsonian  Institution  was  founded  in 
1846,  and  JOSEPH  HENRY  was  called  from  Princeton 
College  to  direct  it.  There  never  was  a  wiser  choice. 
His  term  of  service  (1846-78)  was  so  long  that 
his  ideals  became  firmly  fixed  within  the  establish- 
ment and  were  impressed  upon  his  contemporaries 
and  upon  a  host  of  younger  men.  The  interests  of 
astronomy  were  served  by  the  encouragement  of 
original  research  by  subsidies  and  otherwise,  by 
the  purchase  of  instruments  for  scientific  expedi- 
tions, by  the  free  exchange  of  scientific  books 
between  America  and  Europe,  and  by  the  publi- 
cation of  the  results  of  recondite  investigations.  It 
is  by  these  and  like  services  that  the  institution  is 
known  and  valued  among  the  wide  community  of 
scientific  men  throughout  the  world.  But  this 
enumeration  of  specific  benefits  does  not  convey 


228  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

an  adequate  idea  of  the  immense  influence  exer- 
cised by  the  institution  on  the  scientific  ideals  of 
the  country.  It  was  of  the  first  importance  that 
the  beginnings  of  independent  investigations 
among  Americans  should  be  directed  towards  right 
ends  and  by  high  and  unselfish  aims.  In  the  forma- 
tion of  a  scientific  and,  as  it  were,  of  a  moral  stand- 
ard, a  few  names  will  ever  be  remembered  among 
us;  and  no  one  will  stand  higher  than  that  of 
HENRY.  His  wise,  broad  and  generous  policy,  and 
his  high  personal  ideals  were  of  immense  service 
to  his  colleagues  and  to  the  country.  The  present 
volume  contains  a  letter  of  his  (Chapter  IV,  dated 
August  26,  1859),  which  is  an  illustration  of  his 
generous  anticipation  of  scientific  needs. 

The  establishment  of  a  National  Observatory  in 
Washington  was  proposed  by  JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS 
in  1825;  but  it  was  not  until  1844  that  the  United 
States  Naval  Observatory  was  built  by  Lieutenant 
GILLISS  of  the  navy,  from  plans  which  he  had  pre- 
pared. By  what  seems  to  have  been  an  injustice, 
GILLISS  was  not  appointed  to  be  its  first  director.* 
This  place  fell  to  Lieutenant  M.  F.  MAUEY. 

GILLISS  had  been  on  detached  service  for  some 
years,  and  a  rigid  construction  of  the  rules  required 
that  he  should  be  sent  to  sea,  and  not  remain  to 
launch  the  institution  which  had  been  built  and 


*  GILLISS  was,  however,  director  during  the  years  1861-65. 


-  Their  Scientific  Work  229 

equipped  by  his  efforts.  The  first  corps  of  observers 
at  Washington  (1845)  contained  men  of  first-class 
ability — WALKER,  HUBBARD,  COFFIN.  GILLISS'S 
work  on  Capitol  Hill  (1838-42)  had  shown  him  to 
be  one  of  the  best  of  observers,  as  well  as  one  of 
the  most  assiduous,  and  his  study  and  experience 
in  planning  and  building  the  observatory  had  been 
of  great  service  to  him. 

To  the  men  just  named,  with  PEIRCE,  GOULD  and 
CHAUVENET,  and  to  their  coadjutors  and  pupils,  we 
owe  the  introduction  of  the  methods  of  GAUSS, 
BESSEL  and  STRUVE  into  the  United  States;  and  it  is 
due  to  their  influence  that  American  astronomy  is 
the  child  of  German,  and  not  of  English  science. 
The  most  natural  evolution  might  seem  to  have 
been  for  Americans  to  follow  the  English  practice 
of  MASKELYNE  and  POND;  but  the  break  caused 
by  the  War  of  Independence,  by  the  War  of  1812, 
and  by  the  years  necessary  for  our  youthful  gov- 
ernments to  consolidate  (1776-1836)  allowed  our 
young  men  of  science  to  make  a  perfectly  unbiased 
choice  of  masters.  The  elder  BOND  received  his 
impetus,  however,  from  British  sources  during  his 
visit  to  England  in  1815.  GILLISS  visited  France 
for  study  (1835)  before  he  took  up  his  duties  at 
Washington.  The  text-books  of  WILLIAM  BOND 
and  GILLISS  were  the  Astronomies  of  PEARSON 
(1824-29)  and  VINCE  (1797-1808).  The  younger 


230  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

BOND  and  his  contemporaries,  on  the  other  hand, 
were  firmly  grounded  in  the  German  methods, 
then,  as  now,  the  most  philosophical  and  thorough. 
It  was  not  until  1850,  or  later,  that  it  was  indis- 
pensable for  an  American  astronomer  to  read  the 
German  language,  and  to  make  use  of  the  memoirs 
of  BESSEL,  ENCKE,  STRUVE,  and  the  text-books  of 
SAWITSCH  and  BRUENNOW.*  This  general  acquaint- 
ance with  the  German  language  and  methods  came 
nearly  a  generation  later  in  England.  The  tradi- 
tions of  PIAZZI  and  ORIANI  were  brought  to  America 
by  the  Jesuit  Fathers  of  Georgetown  College  (1844), 
of  whom  SECCHI  and  SESTINI  are  the  best  known. 
The  dates  of  the  foundation  of  a  few  observa- 
tories, etc.,  of  the  United  States  may  be  set  down 
here.  Those  utilized  for  the  observation  of  the 
transit  of  Venus  in  1769  were  temporary  stations 
merely.  The  first  college  observatory  was  that  of 
Chapel  Hill,  North  Carolina  (1831);  Williams  Col- 
lege followed  (in  1836);  Hudson  Observatory,  Ohio 
(1838);  the  Philadelphia  High  School  (1840);  the 
Dana  House  Observatory  of  Harvard  College  (1840); 
West  Point  (1841);  the  United  States  Naval  Ob- 
servatory (1844);  Georgetown  College  Observatory 
(1844);  the  Cincinnati  Observatory  (1845);  the  new 
Observatory  of  Harvard  College  (1846);  the  private 
observatory  of  L.  M.  RUTHERFORD  (1848);  the 

*BOWDITCH  learned  German  in  1818,  at  the  age  of  forty-five. 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  231 

Observatory  of  Ann  Arbor  (1854);  the  Dudley 
Observatory  (1856)  and  that  of  Hamilton  College 
(1856). 

The  foregoing  outline  will  serve  to  indicate  the 
situation  of  the  astronomy  of  the  country  during 
the  first  half  of  the  present  century.  A  little  atten- 
tion to  the  dates  will  enable  the  reader  to  place  an 
individual  or  an  institution  on  the  proper  back- 
ground. It  must  be  constantly  kept  in  mind  that 
the  country  was  very  young,  and  that  public  inter- 
est in  astronomical  matters  was  neither  educated 
nor  very  general.  The  first  business  of  the  elder 
BOND  was  to  establish  an  observatory  at  Harvard 
College;  and  we  have  seen  that  the  Dana  House 
served  its  purpose  for  the  earlier  years  (1840-46). 

It  was  not  long,  however,  before  the  final  plan 
was  conceived,  and  by  the  generous  help  of  the 
community  it  was  soon  executed.  In  1846  the 
present  observatory  was  completed.  It  was  fur- 
nished in  1847  with  the  15-inch  equatorial  tele- 
scope, at  that  time  the  largest  that  had  been  made. 
The  Imperial  Observatory  of  Russia  (Pulkowa)  had 
one  of  like  dimensions,  but  these  two  were  by  far 
the  most  perfect,  as  well  as  the  largest  instruments 
existing.  Other  needed  instruments  were  provided 
and  mounted.  The  minor  apparatus  was  on  hand. 
The  observatory  was  endowed.  Important  series 


232  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

of  observations  had  already  been  commenced.  All 
this  had  been  done  in  a  few  years  by  the  two  BONDS. 
A  complete  observatory  of  the  first  class  had  been 
created.  A  significant  word  in  regard  to  the 
services  of  the  BONDS  in  this  respect  is  to  be  found 
in  the  Eloge  of  WINLOCK,*  written  by  Professor 
LOVERING  of  Harvard,  who  knew  them  well.  He 
says:  "Their  lives,  consecrated  to  astronomy, 
founded  the  observatory  and  won  for  it  the  sym- 
pathy and  support  of  the  community.  Affection 
for  them,  and  respect  for  their  disinterested  zeal, 
inspired  the  liberal  endowments  which  strength- 
ened its  early  growth.  Because  the  men  were  there 
the  institution  was  born  and  lived." 

The  observatory  was  now  in  existence.  The 
great  telescope  was  mounted  in  June,  1847.  It 
remains  to  show  how  it  was  used  during  the 
eighteen  remaining  years  of  their  directorship. 
The  full  list  of  the  papers  printed  by  them  may  be 
found  in  the  appendices,  and  it  will  be  interesting 
to  turn  to  these  lists  and  to  point  out  a  few  of  the 
most  important  works. 

Nearly  every  astronomical  observation  has  for 
its  object  to  determine  the  position  of  some  heavenly 
body  (as  a  planet)  at  a  given  time.  By  making  a 
second  observation  of  the  same  sort  at  a  subsequent 


*  Biographical  Memoirs,  National  Academy  of  Sciences,  Vol. 
I,  p.  333. 


—  Their  Scientific  Work  233 

time,  the  motion  of  the  planet  becomes  known,  and 
from  a  sufficient  number  of  such  observations,  its 
orbit  can  be  determined.  The  instrument  chiefly 
used  for  observations  of  the  sort  is  a  meridian  circle, 
so-called.  This  is  a  telescope  at  right  angles  to  a 
horizontal  axis,  having  the  axis  placed  exactly  in 
an  east  and  west  line.  The  telescope  can  revolve, 
and  its  central  line  will  trace  out  the  meridian 
upon  the  celestial  sphere.  The  angle  through 
which  it  revolves  is  measured  by  a  circle  graduated 
into  degrees,  minutes,  etc.,  fastened  to  the  horizon- 
tal axis  and  turning  with  it.  As  the  divisions  of 
the  circle  move  past  a  fixed  pointer,  the  angle  is 
indicated. 

Every  star  passes  the  meridian  once  daily  in 
its  course  from  rising  to  setting,  and  just  at  the 
moment  of  its  passage  it  can  be  seen  in  transit. 
The  observation  of  a  star  for  position  with  the 
meridian  circle  consists  in  setting  the  telescope  at 
the  right  altitude  just  before  the  star  transits.  It 
will  enter  the  field  of  view  of  the  telescope  at  its 
east  side,  and  move  rapidly  across  the  field  and 
disappear  on  the  west  side.  The  field  of  view  of  the 
telescope  has  a  spider  thread  fixed  horizontally 
(W  in  the  figure). 

a  * 

6  * W 

As  the  star  enters  at  a,  for  example,  the  telescope 
must  be  gently  moved  until  the  star  is  at  b  and 


234  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

travels  along  the  thread.  The  circle  is  now  read. 
Suppose  it  to  indicate  10°  0'  0".  If  a  second  star 
subsequently  travels  along  the  thread  when  the 
circle  reads  20°  0'  0",  then  one  of  these  stars  is 
exactly  10°  north  of  the  other.  The  observation 
has  fixed  the  difference  of  their  altitudes. 

Besides  the  horizontal  thread  (W)  in  the  eye- 
piece, there  are  several  vertical  threads,  one  of 
which  (I)  is  shown  in  the  next  figure.  What  we 
wish  to  know  is,  the  exact  instant  (hour,  minute, 
second  and  decimal  of  a  second)  at  which  the  star 
crosses  the  thread  I.  The  method  of  determining 
this  up  to  the  year  1850  was  as  follows:  — 

i 


A  clock  was  placed  near  the  observer,  who  heard 
each  of  its  beats  (a  second  apart)  distinctly.  If  the 
star  was  on  the  thread  at  the  exact  instant  of  a 
clock-beat,  the  second  corresponding  to  that  beat 
must  be  written  down,  as  178.0.  The  observation 
was  made.  In  general,  the  transit  will  not  occur 
on  the  exact  beat,  but  at  the  seventeenth  second 
(for  example)  the  star  will  be  at  some  point  in  the 
field,  as  a;  while  at  the  eighteenth  beat  the  star 
will  have  crossed  the  thread  and  will  be  seen  at  b. 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  235 

It  has  moved  over  the  distance  a  b  in  a  second.  The 
thread  is  (say)  six  tenths  of  the  distance  a  b  from  a. 
Hence  the  transit  occurred  at  178.6.  Several  threads 
(seven  or  nine)  are  observed  in  this  way  for  every 
star,  and  the  average  of  the  observed  times  is  taken, 
so  as  to  obtain  a  little  greater  precision;  but  for  the 
purpose  of  illustration  we  may  confine  our  atten- 
tion to  a  single  thread  at  I.  A  certain  star  crossed 
it  at  lh  Om  178.6,  let  us  say.  Some  other  star  crosses 
it  at  lh  32m  208.7.  This  second  star  is  32m  3M  east 
of  the  first;  east  since  it  comes  later  to  the  thread. 
By  our  observations  we  have  shown  one  star  to  be 
10°  north  of  the  other;  and  their  distance  east  and 
west  to  be  32m  3s.  1. 

Starting  from  any  one  star — as  Sirius,  for  exam- 
ple—  we  can  fix  the  place  of  every  star  in  the  sky 
with  reference  to  it.  Such,  in  very  brief  abstract, 
is  the  method  of  fixing  star  positions.  It  consists 
of  two  parts,  one  of  which  is  very  simple.  Any 
intelligent  lad  can  be  taught  in  a  night  to  place 
the  horizontal  wire  so  that  a  star  will  travel  along 
it.  But  it  requires  long  practice  to  estimate,  and 
remember,  the  relative  positions  of  the  star  at  two 
successive  clock-beats,  and  to  refer  these  positions  of 
the  moving  star  to  the  fixed  thread  without  error.* 


*  Moreover,  every  observer  is  found  to  have  a  physiological 
idiosyncracy  in  such  estimations.  Instead  of  seeing  the  star  at 
a,  for  example,  he  will  see  it  a  little  to  the  right  (or  left),  so 
that  his  observations  will  differ  by  a  little  from  those  of 


236  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

It  will  be  obvious  that  a  method  of  observing 
which  would  do  away  with  most  of  the  difficulties 
of  such  observations  and  make  the  transits  as  easily 
observed  as  the  altitudes,  would  be  of  the  highest 
value  to  practical  astronomy.  It  was  precisely  such 
a  method  that  was  perfected  by  the  BONDS  in  their 
"  spring-governor,"  or,  as  it  is  called  to-day,  their 
chronograph:  Before  giving  the  history  of  this 
invention,  we  may  briefly  describe  its  use  without 
going  into  details. 

Suppose  that  we  have  a  horizontal  cylindrical 
barrel  or  drum  which  is  caused,  by  clockwork,  to 
revolve  once  in  one  minute  of  time.  Let  us  wrap 
a  sheet  of  paper  around  the  barrel  and  rest  a  pen 
upon  the  paper.  The  pen  itself  rests  on  a  carriage 
which  moves  slightly  (say  the  tenth  of  an  inch  per 
minute)  lengthwise  along  the  barrel  while  the  latter 
is  turning.  Now,  if  the  pen  marks,  it  will  trace  a 
smooth  spiral  line  on  the  paper,  round  and  round, 
and  each  complete  revolution  of  the  barrel  will 
correspond  exactly  to  one  minute  of  time.  Let  us 
suppose,  further,  that  the  pen  is  fastened  to  an 


another  astronomer.  This  constant  physiological  difference  of 
two  persons  in  estimating  the  same  phenomenon  is  their  rela- 
tive personal  equation.  This  term  —  personal  equation  —  has 
found  its  way  into  literature  and  into  common  speech,  with  a 
slightly  altered  meaning.  It  is  generally  used  to  denote  an 
individual's  departure  from  an  absolute  standard  —  his  total 
idiosyncracy.  In  astronomy  there  are  few  absolute  standards, 
and  the  term  is  employed  to  denote  the  idiosyncracy  of  one 
observer  relative  to  another,  each  person  being  fallible. 


10s 


THE  CHKONOHRAPH  INVENTED  BY  THE  BONDS. 


6s 


28 


Os 


-10  m 
-llm 
-12m 
-13m 


PART  OF  A  CHRONOORAPHIC  RECORD. 

N.  B.  — The  rattle  at  12  in  is  to  call  attention  to  an  observation  to  come.    At  4.4s 
a  star  crossed  wire  I.  and  at  H.4s  it  crossed  wire  II. 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  237 

.electro-magnet,  and  that  the  standard  clock  is  con- 
nected to  the  magnet  by  a  telegraph  wire  so  that 
the  clock  can  (automatically)  telegraph  its  beats  to 
the  magnet.  At  every  signal  the  magnet  will  move 
the  pen  slightly  to  one  side  and  produce  a  slight 
indentation  in  the  (otherwise)  smooth  spiral.  The 
distance  on  the  paper  between  any  two  consecu- 
tive indentations  is  precisely  one  second  of  time. 
We  have  turned  time  into  space,  a  second  into  a 
distance.  One  more  step  is  required.  Let  a  short 
telegraph  line  run  from  the  magnet  to  a  signal-key 
in  the  observer's  hand.  When  he  presses  the  key 
the  magnet  is  affected  and  the  pen  moves  so  as  to 
make  a  little  indentation  in  the  spiral  trace.  The 
shape  of  the  indentation  corresponding  to  the 
observer's  signal  is  a  little  different  from  those 
corresponding  to  the  clock  beats.  The  observer's 
signal  generally  falls  between  two  signals  from  the 
clock.  It  is  sixty-five  hundredths  of  the  distance 
from  the  seventeenth  to  the  eighteenth  beat,  let  us 
say.  The  observation  time  is  then  178.65.  The 
accompanying  cuts  will  illustrate  the  description. 

Such  is  the  outline  of  a  most  valuable  invention 
which  has  been  of  priceless  value  to  practical  astron- 
omy, and  which  has  countless  other  applications.* 


*For  example,  the  velocity  of  projectiles  is  measured  by 
allowing  them  to  break  two  wire  targets,  one  just  in  front  of 
the  muzzle  of  the  gun,  the  other  100  yards  away.  The  rupture 
of  each  target  records  a  signal  on  the  chronograph.  The 


238  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Much  fatigue  is  spared  by  the  new  method. 
Observing  nights  can  be  made  longer.  There  are 
no  errors  of  record.  The  clock,  not  the  astronomer, 
writes  down  the  time.  The  record  on  the  chrono- 
graph is  permanent,  and  the  sheets  may  be  bound, 
like  a  book,  for  future  reference.  The  personal 
equations  are  smaller  and  more  constant,  also. 

Moreover,  two  clocks  may  be  made  to  record  on 
the  same  sheet,  and  thus  compared.  One  of  the 
clocks  may  be  in  New  York  and  the  other  in  San 
Francisco,  and  their  records  will  faithfully  exhibit 
their  difference  of  time.  But  the  difference  of  time 
is  nothing  but  the  difference  of  longitude;  and  here 
we  have  a  perfect  method  of  determining  positions 
of  places  on  the  earth.  Wherever  the  telegraphic 
wire  runs,  we  may  transmit  the  signals  of  a  clock. 
This  is  the  "American"  method  of  determining 
longitude,  first  practiced  over  the  line  from  Balti- 
more to  Washington  in  1844,  and  since  then  em- 
ployed in  every  country  of  the  globe  from  England 
to  Brazil,  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  to  the  Indies. 
A  slight  modification  in  the  apparatus  permits  the 
method  to  be  used  on  ocean  cables,  and  the  most 
distant  countries  of  the  world  have  been  united  by 
these  bonds. 


distance  apart  of  the  signals  shows  how  long  the  projectile 
required  to  move  100  yards.  The  principle  of  this  method  is 
the  same  as  that  of  the  astronomer's  chronograph.  The  appa- 
ratus is  more  refined,  however. 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  23  £ 

In  an  official  report  to  the  chief  of  the  United 
States  Coast  Survey  in  1851,  Mr.  SEARS  WALKER 
gives  the  history  of  the  use  of  the  electric  current 
in  registering  observations,  and  of  the  various  steps 
which  led  to  the  invention  of  the  chronograph.  I 
have  found  among  the  papers  of  GEORGE  BONI> 
what  I  suppose  to  be  the  original  of  WALKER'S 
memorandum,  in  BOND'S  handwriting,  and  it  is 
printed  below.  In  a  somewhat  fuller  form  it  is 
given  in  the  Annals  of  the  Harvard  College  Observ- 
atory, Vol.  I,  page  xxiv. 

The  following  is  an  abstract  of  the  history  of  the 
invention,  recently  brought  into  use  in  America,  by 
which  electro-magnetism  is  introduced  as  an  agent 
in  the  determination  of  differences  of  terrestrial 
longitude,  and  for  various  astronomical  purposes  in 
which  the  exact  noting  of  time  enters  as  an  impor- 
tant element. 

On  the  9th  of  June,  1844,  Captain  CHARLES 
WILKES,  U.  S.  N.,  made  the  first  experiment  for 
determining  longitudes,  by  means  of  the  electro- 
telegraph,  between  Washington  and  Baltimore,, 
with  chronometers  rated  at  each  place. 

On  the  10th  of  October,  1846,  star  signals  were 
first  exchanged  between  the  Washington  Observa- 
tory and  that  of  the  Central  High  School  of  Phila- 
delphia. The  outfit  of  telegraph  junction  lines 
and  apparatus  was  made  by  the  Coast  Survey.  .  .  . 

The  experiment  was  made  under  the  charge  of 
SEARS  C.  WALKER,  Esq.,  one  of  the  assistants  of  the 
Coast  Survey,  who,  from  that  time  to  the  present, 
under  an  appointment  from  Professor  A.  D.  BACHE, 
LL.  D.,  superintendent,  has  had  uninterrupted 


240  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

charge  of  this  work.  The  apparatus  used  this 
evening  was  devised  and  constructed  by  JOSEPH 
SAXTON,  Esq.  The  star  signals,  or  taps  on  a  make- 
circuit  ringer  key  at  the  instant  of  the  passage  of  a 
star  over  a  wire  of  a  transit  instrument,  were  made 
that  night  by  Lieutenant  J.  J.  ALMY,  U.  S.  N.,  and 
were  recorded  by  the  ear  of  Mr.  WALKER  and  Lieu- 
tenant J.  M.  GILLISS,  U.  S.  N.,  at  Washington,  and 
Professor  E.  0.  KENDALL,  director  of  the  Philadel- 
phia High  School  Observatory  at  Philadelphia. 
The  longitude  between  the  two  stations  by  this 
night's  work  agrees  within  08.2  with  the  average  of 
all  the  work  done  since. 

On  the  27th  of  July,  1847,  coincidence  of  beats 
of  solar  and  sidereal  chronometers  were,  for  the 
first  time,  tried  between  Philadelphia  and  Jersey 
Cit}\  These  coincidences  were  noted  at  each  place 
by  comparison  of  a  solar  and  sidereal  timekeeper. 
The  circuit  of  the  telegraph  line  was  closed  tempo- 
rarily every  ten  secqnds  by  the  astronomer  at  one 
of  the  stations,  and  the  receiving  magnet  beats  were 
heard  sensibly  at  the  same  instant  of  absolute  time 
at  both  stations.  The  date  of  coincidences  of  these 
magnet  beats  with  the  stationary  clock  beats  (the 
one  being  at  solar,  the  other  at  sidereal  time)  were 
recorded  at  both  stations.  This  experiment  was 
repeatedly  performed  that  year  by  Mr.  WALKER, 
assisted  at  Philadelphia  by  Professor  E.  O.  KEN- 
DALL, director,  and  at  Jersey  City  by  Professor  E. 
LOOMIS. 

In  July  and  August,  1848,  an  extensive  series  of 
star  signals  and  clock  signals  by  coincidences  were 
exchanged  between  the  Harvard  Observatory  at 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  and  the  observatory  in  the  gar- 
den of  the  late  PETER  STUYVESANT  in  New  York 
City.  The  work  was  under  the  charge  of  Mr. 
WALKER.  Mr.  BOND  was  the  observer  at  Cam- 
bridge, and  Professor  E.  LOOMIS  at  New  York  City. 


-  Their  Scientific  Work  241 

During  these  experiments  Mr.  BOND  conceived  the 
idea  of  using  an  automatic  circuit  interrupter.* 

October  26,  1848,  Professor  0.  M.  MITCHELL,!  at 
the  suggestion  of  Mr.  WALKER,  prepared  a  circuit 
interrupter  with  an  ordinary  eight-day  clock,  and 
used  it  to  graduate  the  running  fillets  of  paper 
upon  a  MORSE  register  fillet.  It  was  not  used  in 
the  work  with  Philadelphia,  clouds  having  pre- 
vented work  on  the  27th,  proposed  for  the  purpose. 
The  same  mode  which  Professor  MITCHELL  used 
had  been  proposed  by  JOSEPH  SAXTON,  Esq.,  in 
1846,  but  has  not  been  adopted  by  Professor  BACHE 
and  Mr.  WALKER,  from  apprehension  of  injury  to 
the  performance  of  the  astronomical  clock  which 
must  be  used  for  the  purpose. 

October  26,  1848,  Dr.  J.  LOCKE  [of  Cincinnati] 
was  requested  by  Mr.  WALKER  to  undertake  experi- 
ments to  obviate  some  difficulties  which  it  was  sup- 
posed might  result  from  the  deflagration  of  the 
clock  pallets. 

On  the  17th  of  November,  1848,  Mr.  WALKER 
extended  a  junction  wire  from  the  Cincinnati  tele- 
graph office  so  as  to  embrace  Doctor  LOCKE'S  clock 

*  Such  a  clock  was  made  by  Mr.  BOND  in  February,  1850. 
WILLIAM  BOND  TO  HON.  WILLIAM  MITCHELL. 

HARVARD  OBSERVATORY,      I 
My  Dear  Friend :  -  CAMBRIDGE,  February  15, 1850.  j 

I  have  finished  my  electric  clock,  and  it  operates  perfectly, 
breaking  and  restoring  circuit  in  accordance  with  the  beats  of 
the  clock;  Doctor  LOCKE'S  objection,  "deflagration,"  which  he 
made  the  ground  of  his  reinvention,  is  evidently  a  mere  bug- 
bear. In  the  meantime,  Mr.  AIRY,  in  an  address  to  the  Royal 
Astronomical  Society,  has  given  the  whole  credit  of  the  deter- 
mination of  differences  of  longitude  by  means  of  the  magnetic 
telegraph  to  Doctor  LOCKE.'  What  will  WILKES,  WALKER, 
LOOMIS  and  BACHE  think  of  this  summary  and  monstrous 
assertion  ? 

fThe  name  is  now  spelled  with  a  single  1. 
Q 


242  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

at  his  house,  fitted  up  as  a  circuit  breaker,  with  a 
tilt-hammer  struck  by  the  teeth  of  the  escapement 
wheel.  Mr.  WALKER,  also,  acting  for  the  Coast  Sur- 
vey, engaged  the  use  of  the  line  from  Louisville  to 
Pittsburg  to  try  the  experiment  with  Doctor  LOCKE'S 
contrivance.  No  astronomical  nor  clock  signals 
were  exchanged  this  evening,  and  no  attempt  was 
made  to  determine  longitudes.  In  this  experiment 
Doctor  LOCKE'S  clock  graduated  a  fillet  of  paper,  as 
delivered  by  the  MORSE  register. 

January  19,  1849,  the  first  actual  experiment  of 
the  automatic  imprint  of  star  signals  on  a  time 
scale  was  made  between  Philadelphia  and  Cincin- 
nati. The  telegraph  line  from  Philadelphia  to  Cin- 
cinnati was  engaged  for  use  of  the  Coast  Survey  by 
Mr.  WALKER.  The  automatic  clock  interrupter  was 
furnished  by  Doctor  LOCKE,  of  Cincinnati.  The 
star  signals  were  given  by  Professor  KENDALL  at 
Philadelphia,  and  recorded  at  both  places.  The 
Cincinnati  Observatory,  in  the  absence  of  Professor 
MITCHELL,  could  not  be  used  for  the  purpose  of 
longitudes. 

The  longitudes  of  Cambridge,  New  York  and 
Philadelphia  were  determined  on  the  23d  of  Jan- 
uary, 1849,  by  star-transit  signals  given  for  the 
same  star  as  it  passed  the  meridians  of  these  three 
stations.  These  signals  were  recorded  at  Washing- 
ton, Philadelphia  and  Cambridge.  The  arrange- 
ments were  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  WALKER.  The 
circuit-breaking  clock  was  prepared  by  Mr. WALKER, 
on  Doctor  LOCKE'S  plan,  and  located  at  Philadel- 
phia. The  same  clock  contained  a  tilt-hammer 
interrupter  for  making  signals  by  the  teeth  of  the 
hour  wheel  every  two  minutes.  This  instrument 
was  invented  in  the  year  1847  by  J.  J.  SPEED,  Esq.,. 
president  of  the  telegraph  company  in  Detroit, 
Michigan. 

The  detection  of  a  delav  in  the  transmission  of 


—  Their  Scientific  Work  243 

the  galvanic  inducing  wave  proportional  to  the 
space  traversed,  was  made  by  Mr.  WALKER  imme- 
diately after  examining  and  comparing  together 
the  registers  of  the  four  stations  above  mentioned. 

The  consideration  of  this  phenomenon  led  him 
to  the  discovery  of  the  velocity  of  the-  galvanic 
wave.  A  velocity  of  15,400  miles  per  second  is 
given  by  him  as  the  most  probable  result. 

In  the  summer  of  1849  Professor  MITCHELL  pro- 
posed the  use  of  a  revolving  disc  of  type  metal  to 
receive  the  records.  Mr.  SAXTON'S  plan  of  making 
the  records  upon  a  sheet  of  paper  rolled  upon  a 
cylinder  seems  that  which  combines  the  most  prac- 
tical advantages.  Mr.  SAXTON  proposed  to  break 
the  circuit  by  a  tilt-hammer  struck  by  a  piece  of 
glass  projecting  from  the  middle  of  the  pendulum 
which  acts  as  a  circuit  breaker;  he  also  contrived 
an  apparatus  for  making  on  the  sheet  the  Om,  5m, 
10m,  etc.,  by  the  omission  of  one  or  two  breaks 
respectively.  Mr.  SAXTON'S  apparatus  has  been  in 
use  ever  since  at  the  Seaton  station;*  its  only  defect 
is  the  want  of  uniformity  in  the  time  of  revolution 
of  the  cylinder. 

On  the  12th  of  April,  1850,  Mr.  BOND  submitted 
to  Professor  BACHE  a  model  of  an  invention  made 
with  a  view  to  remedy  this  remaining  defect.  This 
instrument  has  been  named  the  spring-governor,  f 
A  perfect  working  instrument  was  ordered  for  the 
use  of  the  Coast  Survey  by  the  superintendent  at 
that  time.  The  model  was  completed  and  reported 
upon  in  November,  1860.  [Here  Mr.  WALKER'S 
printed  report  says,  "  Mr.  BOND'S  machine  surpasses 
in  excellence  all  devices  of  the  kind  yet  tried  in 
the  Coast  Survey  Service."]  The  cylinder,  covered 

*  United  States  Coast  Survey  Station  in  Washington. 

fThis  instrument  is  now  universally  known  as  the  chrono- 
graph. The  only  material  change  is  one  of  name.  The  name 
spring-governor  applies  only  to  the  regulating  device. 


244  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

with  paper,  revolves  once  in  a  minute,  and  measures 
time  with  the  precision  of  an  astronomical  clock. 
The  sheet  when  taken  off,  after  being  graduated  by 
the  clock,  has  the  minute  column  vertical;  the 
seconds  are  marked  off  horizontally  on  each  minute 
scale.  The  eye  seizes  on  the  appropriate  hour, 
minute  and  whole  second,  as  in  an  ordinar}r  astro- 
nomical table  of  double  entry;  the  fraction  of  a 
second  may  be  estimated  to  a  tenth  by  the  eye,  or 
read  to  a  hundredth  by  a  graduated  hour  scale.  A 
year's  work  of  an  ordinary  observatory  may  be 
bound  up  in  a  volume  of  a  few  hundred  pages, 
and  forms  a  permanent  and  legible  record  of  the 
actual  dates  of  the  imprinted  transit  signals.  [Here 
Mr.  WALKER'S  printed  report  says,  "  Mr.  BOND'S 
method  is  likely  to  supersede  all  other  methods  yet 
known."] 

By  means  of  the  line  connecting  the  observatory 
of  Cambridge  with  Boston,  the  time  for  the  use  of 
the  shipping  and  for  the  railroads  throughout  New 
England  is  now  regularly  transmitted.  By  merely 
passing  the  circuit  through  the  clock  at  Cambridge, 
its  beats  are  thus  given  at  any  time  (our  clock  has 
been  adopted  for  the  signals)  through  a  distance  of 
one  or  two  hundred  miles. 

The  courtesy  with  which  the  telegraph  compan- 
ies in  different  parts  of  the  United  States  have  met 
applications  for  the  use  of  their  lines  for  scientific 
purposes  has  very  greatly  contributed  to  the  suc- 
cess which  has  attended  these  operations. 

A  description  of  the  electro-magnetic  apparatus 
which  has  for  some  time  past  been  in  use  at  the 
Harvard  Observatory,  has  been  published  in  the 
Monthly  Notices  of  the  Royal  Astronomical  Society 
for  May,  1851. 

The  mechanical  idea  of  the  "  spring-governor  " 
—  the  regulating  device  of  the  chronograph  —  is  to 


—  Their  Scientific  Work  245 

be  credited  to  W.  C.  BOND  and  his  two  sons,  RICHARD 
and  GEORGE,  working  in  concert.  It  is  probable 
that  the  very  first  conception  was  due  to  RICHARD 
BOND.  The  medal  of  the  Exhibition  of  1851,  and 
other  rewards,  were  given  to  the  firm  of  WILLIAM 
BOND  &  Son. 

An  extract  from  one  of  GEORGE  BOND'S  letters  on 
the  subject  may  find  an  appropriate  place  here. 

GEORGE  BOND  TO  HON.  WILLIAM  MITCHELL. 

CAMBRIDGE,  December  30,  1850. 
Dear  Sir: — 

3d — Electro-magnetism  was  in  use  for  determin- 
ing differences  of  longitude  some  time  before  it 
was  applied  to  astronomy  proper.  The  invention 
was  not,  I  take  it,  a  sudden  happy  thought  of  any 
one;  but  has  been  gradually  developing  for  two  or 
three  years.  The  idea  first  suggested  had  not  the 
defmiteness  since  realized,  because  everything 
remained  to  be  done  before  it  could  be  made  prac- 
tically useful. 

The  first  step  towards  this  end  was  the  plan  pro- 
posed by  W.  C.  BOND  for  the  break-circuit  clock. 
The  next  desideratum  was  supplied  by  the  spring- 
governor. 

S.  C.  WALKER  has,  from  the  first,  been  actively 
engaged  in  experimenting — -always  in  correspond- 
ence with  the  telegraph  offices,  arranging  with 
them  for  the  use  of  the  lines,  devising  new  plans 
for  observing  and  agitating  the  subject  in  various 
ways.  But  I  do  not  suppose  that  he  knows  himself 
whether  he  or  W.  C.  B.  first  suggested  the  idea 
of  observing  by  electro-magnetism.  One  thing  I 


246  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

am  certain  of  is,  that  we  never  heard  the  names  of 
Professor  MITCHELL  and  Doctor  LOCKE  in  connec- 
tion with  the  subject,  till  after  the  whole  ground 
had  been  gone  over  at  Cambridge. 

In  one  of  last  year's  numbers  of  the  Proceedings 
of  the  Royal  Astronomical  Society,  is  an  abstract 
of  an  address  of  Mr.  AIRY,  on  observing  by  electro- 
magnetism,  which  stands  sadly  in  need  of  a  good 
sifting. 

4th  —  The  recording  cylinder  may  as  well  be  at 
New  York  as  in  Cambridge,  provided  the  connec- 
tion is  good.  Very  truly  yours, 

G.  P.  BOND. 


To  sum  up  the  whole  matter,  we  may  say  that 
the  "American"  method  of  determining  the  differ- 
ence of  longitude  of  two  places  (by  comparing  clocks 
at  the  two  stations  by  means  of  signals  over  a  tele- 
graphic circuit)  was  first  employed  by  Admiral 
WILKES  in  1844.  The  great  possibilities  of  this 
method  were  at  once  seen  by  all  astronomers.  To 
bring  the  method  to  perfection  it  was  necessary  (a) 
to  adapt  the  astronomical  processes  then  in  use  to 
this  particular  problem.  This  was  done  by  WALKER, 
and  subsequently,  under  his  direction,  by  GOULD, 
and  by  their  adjuncts  in  the  Coast  Survey  Service. 
At  WALKER'S  death  (1853)  GOULD  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  longitude  bureau  of  the  Coast  Survey, 
and  was  the  first  to  extend  the  method  to  determin- 
ing differences  of  longitude  over  ocean  cables  (1866). 
The  longitude  of  Washington  from  Greenwich  was 


—  Their  Scientific   Work  247 

fixed  at  5h  8ra  12S.39,  but  the  figures  contain  an 
uncorrected  error,  due  to  the  application  of  a  per- 
sonal equation  with  a  wrong  sign.  Subsequent 
longitude  campaigns  were  made  in  1870  and  1872 
by  officers  of  the  Coast  Survey,  and  the  results  for 
the  longitude  of  Harvard  College  Observatory,  as 
deduced  by  HILGARD,  are: — 

1866 H.  C.  O.— Greenwich  =  4"  44m  308.99 

1870 30.98 

1872 30.98 

Which  gives  for  the  longitude  of  Washington  5     8    12  .09 

The  agreement  of  the  three  separate  longitudes 
for  H.  C.  0.  from  the  three  campaigns  is  almost  too 
close.  It  is  interesting  to  remark  that  in  one  of 
the  later  campaigns  of  the  Coast  Survey  the  longi- 
tude of  America  was  determined  not  only  from 
Greenwich,  but  from  Paris  as  well.  The  difference 
of  the  two  results  gave,  therefore,  the  longitude  of 
Paris  from  Greenwich  (9m  21S.09).  In  the  British 
Nautical  Almanac  for  1872  this  difference  is  given 
as  9m  20S.63,  so  that  the  exact  relative  position  of 
these  neighboring  observatories  was  determined 
through  America,  by  Coast  Survey  parties,  for  the 
first  time. 

W.  C.  BOND  and  his  son  employed  the  method 
of  telegraphic  longitudes  in  the  determination  of 
the  positions  of  Quebec,  Montreal,  Fredricton  (N.B.), 
Halifax,  Clinton,  Portland,  .Bangor,  etc.,  and  Har- 
vard College  Observatory  became  practically  the 


248  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

centre  of  longitude  for  the  United  States,  though, 
of  course,  the  final  reference  was  to  Washington,  as 
it  should  be. 

From  January,  1852,  onwards,  time  signals  from 
a  standard  clock  at  Cambridge  were  regularly  trans- 
mitted to  Boston  for  the  convenience  of  mariners, 
jewelers,  etc.  Such  signals  had  been  transmitted 
for  several  years  previously. 

The  second  point  to  be  attended  to  was  (6)  to 
obtain  an  automatic  signal  from  the  standard  clock 
at  each  station,  and  to  transmit  it  to  the  recording 
apparatus.  This  problem  was  solved  by  SEXTON, 
BOND,  LOCKE  and  others.  WALKER  was  the  first  to 
state  the  requirements  clearly,  I  believe. 

The  third  point  was  (c)  to  devise  a  suitable 
registering  apparatus  (chronograph).  Various  ex- 
periments by  SEXTON,  LOCKE  and  others  were  of 
value.  The  chronographic  disc  of  MITCHEL,  if 
properly  made,  would  have  been  satisfactory, 
though  it  has  some  inconveniences. 

The  spring-governor  chronograph  of  the  BONDS 
was,  however,  far  superior  in  several  respects  to 
MITCHEL'S  device,  and  with  its  invention  the  me- 
chanical problem  was  completely  and  intelligently 
solved. 

One  of  the  first  problems  for  American  observers 
was  to  find  out  the  longitude  of  America  from 
Europe.  When  the  first  Atlantic  cable  was  laid 


-  Their  Scientific  Work  249 

(1858)  an  accurate  method  of  comparing  clocks 
was  at  hand.  Before  that  time  it  was  necessary  to 
use  less  exact  methods.  The  telegraphic  longitude 
of  the  Harvard  College  Observatory,  referred  to 
Greenwich,  has  been  determined  by  the  United 
States  Coast  Survey,  from  three  separate  campaigns, 
to  be  4h  44m  30S.9S,  as  we  have  seen.  From  a  series 
of  moon  culminations  at  Harvard  during  the  years 
1843-45,  it  was  fixed  at  4h  44m  28S.47;  from  all  the 
eclipses  and  occultations  observed  at  Dorchester  and 
Harvard  during  the  years  1820-40,  the  longitude 
resulted  as  4h  44m  32M6.  It  is  also  possible  to 
determine  the  longitude  in  a  different  way — namel}r, 
by  actually  transporting  a  large  number  of  chro- 
nometers from  one  point  to  another.  Such  chro- 
nometric  expeditions  were  carried  out  on  a  magnifi- 
cent scale  during  the  years  1848-55  by  W.  C.  BOND, 
acting  for  the  United  States  Coast  Survey.  The 
best  result  for  the  longitude  from  chronometers 
was  4h  44ra  30MO.  The  last  three  results  were  of 
the  highest  precision  that  could  be  attained  by  the 
old  methods,  particularly  the  chronometric  value, 
based  as  it  is  on  many  voyages  and  scores  of  chro- 
nometers. The  difference  between  the  early  values 
and  what  is  now  known  to  be  the  final  longitude 
is  to  be  attributed  entirely  to  (unavoidable)  defects 
in  methods.  The  observations  before  1866  were 
very  numerous  and  very  carefully  made  (the  greater 


250  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

part  of  them  by  W.  C.  BOND),  and  they  were  elabo- 
rately reduced,  partly  by  GEORGE  BOND,  and  finally 
discussed  by  WALKER.  The  following  paragraphs 
from  LOOMIS'S  Recent  Progress  of  Astronomy  in  the 
United  States,  p.  301  (1856),  describe  the  chrono- 
metric  campaigns  in  detail. 

Advantage  has  been  taken  of  the  frequent  pas- 
sage of  steamers  between  Boston  and  Liverpool  to 
make  a  thorough  comparison  of  the  times  of  those 
ports  by  means  of  chronometers.  For  this  purpose, 
as  soon  as  a  steamer  arrives  in  Boston,  its  chronom- 
eters are  taken  to  Cambridge  Observatory  for  com- 
parison, where  they  remain  until  the  steamer  is 
ready  to  return.*  Upon  arriving  in  Liverpool,  the 
chronometers  are  taken  to  the  Liverpool  Observa- 
tory and  their  errors  determined.  This  method  of 
comparison  has  been  systematically  pursued  since 
1844.  During  the  year  1846,  forty-two  such  com- 
parisons were  made.  In  1848  the  longitude  of  the 
Cambridge  Observatory  from  Greenwich  was  deter- 
mined by  Mr.  BOND,  from  the  transportation  of  116 
chronometers,  in  thirty-four  voyages  of  the  Cunard 
steamers  from  Liverpool  to  Boston,  to  be  4h  44m 
308.5.  The  longitude  deduced  from  lunar  occulta- 
tions  and  solar  eclipses  is  4h  44m  318.9.  During 
the  year  1849  eighty-seven  additional  comparisons 
were  made,  the  results  of  which  differ  nearly  two 
seconds  of  time  from  those  previously  obtained  by 
astronomical  observations.  The  mean  result  of  175 
chronometers  was  4h  44m  30M,  and  it  was  believed 
that  this  result  could  not  be  one  second  in  error. 
The  final  result  of  the  chronometric  expeditions  of 

*  The  chronometers  were,  in  fact,  taken  to  the  offices  of  WM. 
BOND  &  Son  in  Boston,  and  remained  there  till  the  next 
voyage.  Telegraphic  signals  from  the  Cambridge  Observatory 
clock  were  received  at  the  Boston  office. 


SATURN:    August  30,  1848. 


SATTRN:    January  9,  1855. 


-Their  Scientific  Work  251 

1849,  1850  and  1851  was  4h  44m  30S.66.  During 
the  progress  of  these  expeditions,  more  than  four 
hundred  exchanges  of  chronometers  have  been 
made. 

The  large -equatorial  was  employed  during  the 
years  1847-56  in  a  study  of  the  planet  Saturn, 
which  led  to  remarkable  results.  In  1848  the  ring 
was  presented  to  the  earth  and  sun  so  as  to  dis- 
appear, or  to  be  visible  simply  as  a  thin  bright 
line;  while  in  1856  it  was  much  inclined  and  fully 
illuminated,  so  as  to  assume  its  maximum  width. 
The  year  1848  was  a  suitable  time  to  search  for 
new  satellites  therefore,  and  on  September  15th  and 
16th  GEORGE  BOND  mapped  the  known  satellites, 
together  with  a  faint  object,  which  was,  in  fact,  a 
satellite,  and  which,  on  the  other  hand,  might  have 
been  a  small  star.  On  September  18th  WILLIAM 
BOND  observed  early  in  the  evening,  but  the  star  was 
not  noticed.  Later  on  his  son  made  a  new  diagram, 
and  the  faint  object  was  again  recorded.  On  Sep- 
tember 19th  diagrams  were  made  by  both  observ- 
ers, which  contained  the  faint  object  in  question,  and 
measures  conclusively  proved  it  to  be  a  new  satellite, 
since  it  moved  among  the  stars  along  with  the 
planet.  This  was  the  new  satellite  Hyperion.* 


*  W.  C.  BOND  is  often  named  (alone)  as  the  discoverer.  The 
honor  really  belongs  to  both  observers.  If  the  discovery  is  to 
be  assigned  to  a  single  person,  then  it  must  be  credited  to 
GEORGE  BOND. 


252  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

The  satellites  of  Saturn,  arranged  in  the  order 
of  their  distances  (semi-diameter  of  the  ball  of 
Saturn  =  1.0),  are  — 

1.  Mimas,  distance  3.3 ;  discovered  by  HERSCHEL  in  1797 

2.  Enceladus,  "  4.3;  "  "  "            in  1789 

3.  Tethys,  "  5.3;  "  "  CASSINI        in  1684 

4.  Dione,  "  6.8;  "  "  "                in  1684 

5.  Rhea,  "  9.5;  "  "  "                in  1672 

6.  Titan,  "  20.7;  "  "  HUYOHENS  in  1755 
I.Hyperion,  "  26.8;  "  "  the  BONDS    in  1848 
8.  lapetus,  "  64.4;  "  "  CASSINI         in  1671 

The  names  of  the  BONDS  will  be  forever  associated 
with  those  of  their  great  predecessors,  and  with 
the  planet  Saturn  on  more  than  one  account.* 

The  following  letter  from  WILLIAM  BOND  to  the 
President  of  Harvard  University  gives  an  account 
of  the  discovery  of  Hyperion. 

OBSERVATORY,  CAMBRIDGE,  \ 

September  25,  1848.        j 
Dear  Sir:  — 

On  the  evening  of  the  16th  of  this  month  a 
small  star  was  noticed,  situated  nearly  in  the  plane 
of  Saturn's  ring,  and  between  the  satellites  Titan 
and  lapetus.  It  was  regarded  at  the  time  as  acci- 
dental. It  was,  however,  recorded,  with  an  esti- 
mated position  in  regard  to  Saturn. 

The  next  night  favorable  for  observation  was 
the  18th,  and  while  comparing  the  relative  bright- 
ness of  the  satellites,  the  same  object,  similarly 

*Mr.  WILLIAM  LASSELL,  the  discoverer  of  the  satellite  of 
Neptune  and  of  two  faint  satellites  to  Uranus,  is  also  an  inde- 
pendent discoverer  of  Hyperion.  He  first  noticed  it  on  Sep- 
tember 18th,  and  on  the  following  night  satisfied  himself  that 
it  was  attendant  on  the  planet. 


—  Their  Scientific   Work  253 

situated  in  regard  to  the  planet,  was  again  noticed, 
and  its  position  more  carefully  laid  down.  But 
still,  at  the  time,  we  scarcely  suspected  its  real 
nature. 

From  accurate  measurement  on  the  evening  of 
the  19th,  the  star  being  found  to  partake  of  the 
retrograde  motion  of  Saturn,  that  portion  of  the 
heavens  toward  which  the  planet  was  approaching 
was  carefully  examined,  and  every  star  near  its 
path  for  the  two  following  nights  laid  down  on  a 
diagram,  and  micrornetric  measures  of  position  and 
distance  with  objects  in  the  neighborhood  were 
taken. 

The  evening  of  the  20th  was  cloudy.  On  the 
21st  the  new  satellite  was  found  to  have  approached 
the  primary,  and  it  moved  sensibly  among  the 
stars  while  under  observation.  Similar  observa- 
tions were  repeated  on  the  nights  of  the  22d  and 
23d.  Its  orbit  is  exterior  to  that  of  Titan.  It  is  less 
bright  than  either  of  the  two  inner  satellites  dis- 
covered by  Sir  WM.  HERSCHEL.  Respectfully, 

W.  C.  BOND. 

To  PRESIDENT  EVERETT. 


The  ring  of  Saturn  was  observed  by  GALILEO, 
who  could  not  explain  the  phenomenon  which  .he 
saw.  It  was  left  to  HUYGHENS  to  describe  it  accu- 
rately: "Saturn  is  girdled  by  a  thin,  plane  ring, 
nowhere  touching,  inclined  to  the  ecliptic."  CAS- 
SINI  had  shown  that  the  ring  was  divided  into  two 
parts  by  a  broad,  empty  division.  In  1850  (October 
10)  GEORGE  BOND  recorded  the  presence  of  a  third 
faint,  veil-like  ring  attached  to  the  inner  one  of 
the  known  rings,  but  much  fainter,  which  has 


254  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

been  called  the  dusky-ring  or  crape-ring  of  Saturn* 
It  is  easily  seen  in  comparatively  small  telescopes, 
and  had  been  seen  previously  by  other  observers, 
though  no  proper  attention  was  paid  to  the 
observation.  Subsequent  observations  at  Cam- 
bridge and  elsewhere  fully  confirmed  its  existence, 
and  measures  fixed  its  dimensions. 

The  oppositions  of  1847-56  were  devoted  by  the 
BONDS  to  observations,  drawings  and  measures  of 
Saturn,  and  a  vast  mass  of  material  accumulated, 
the  most  important  part  of  which  is  printed  in  the 
Harvard  College  Observatory  Annals,  Volume  II. 
No  such  thorough-going  examination  of  a  planet 
had  ever  been  made.  The  observations  just  named, 
the  discovery  of  the  dusky-ring,  the  observation  of 
various  vacant  (dark)  spaces  in  the  bright  rings 
themselves,  parallel  and  similar  to  the  principal 
division,  the  fact  that  the  dusky-ring  was  trans- 
parent (as  the  edges  of  the  ball  of  Saturn  could  be 
seen  through  it),  and  other  points,  called  attention 
to  the  necessity  for  a  complete  theory  of  the  consti- 
tution of  the  rings  to  account  for  the  extraordinary 
character  of  the  phenomena. 

In  the  Astronomical  Journal  of  May  2,  1851, 
GEORGE  BOND  has  a  paper,  which  was  first  read  at 

*Annals  H.  C.  O.,  Vol.  II,  p.  46.  The  first  drawing  of  the 
new  ring  was  made  on  November  llth  by  GEORGE  BOND.  It 
was  first  seen  elsewhere  by  Rev.W.  R.  DAWES,  November  25th. 


-  Their  Scientific  Work  255 

the  meeting  of  the  American  Academy  on  April 
15th,  in  which  he  recites  the  previous  theories  of 
the  rings,  and,  using  the  analysis  of  LAPLACE  as  a 
starting  point,  shows  that  the  ring  cannot  be  a 
continuous  solid,  and  that  the  hypothesis,  that  the 
whole  ring  is  in  a  fluid  state,  "  presents  fewer  diffi- 
culties." 

In  the  Journal  of  June  16th  Professor  PEIRCE 
prints  a  paper  on  the  constitution  of  Saturn's  ring, 
which  was  read  at  the  meeting  of  the  American 
Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  in  Cin- 
cinnati, and  which,  in  substance,  was  given  as  a 
supplement  to  the  paper  of  BOND  on  April  15th,  in 
the  form  of  verbal  remarks  at  the  meeting  of  the 
American  Academy  in  Boston.  In  his  work  on 
Analytical  Mechanics  PEIRCE  developed  his  theory 
more  fully. 

Professor  PEIRCE  says:  "Mr.  BOND'S  argument 
for  the  fluidity  of  Saturn's  ring  is  chiefly  derived 
from  observation;  whereas  I  have  undertaken  to 
demonstrate  from  purely  mechanical  considera- 
tions, that  it  cannot  be  solid."  "  Mr.  BOND'S  bold 
and  ingenious  theory"  it  is  called. 

The  following  brief  historical  statement  from 
NEWCOMB'S  Popular  Astronomy*  will  show  that,, 
while  both  authors  made  a  distinct  step  forward  in 


*  The  foot-notes  are  not  Professor  NEWCOMB'S. 


256  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

proving  that  Saturn's  rings  could  not  be  a  continu- 
ous solid,  both  came  to  an  erroneous  conclusion  in 
supposing  them  to  be  fluid. 

NEWCOMB  says:  "The  astronomers  of  two  cen- 
turies ago  saw  nothing  surprising  in  the  fact  of  a 
pair  of  rings  surrounding  a  planet  and  accompany- 
ing it  in  its  orbit,  because  they  wrere  not  acquainted 
with  the  effects  of  gravitation  on  such  bodies  as 
the  rings  seemed  to  be.  But  when  LAPLACE  inves- 
tigated the  subject  he  found  that  a  homogeneous 
and  uniform  ring  surrounding  a  planet  could  not 
be  in  a  state  of  stable  equilibrium.*  Let  it  be 
balanced  ever  so  nicely,  the  slightest  external  force, 
the  attraction  of  a  satellite  or  of  a  distant  planet, 
would  destroy  the  equilibrium,  and  the  ring  would 
soon  be  precipitated  upon  the  planet.  He  there- 
fore remarked  that  the  rings  must  have  irregulari- 
ties in  their  form,  such  as  HERSCHEL  supposed  that 
he  had  seen ;  but  he  did  not  investigate  the  ques- 
tion whether,  with  those  irregularities,  the  equi- 
librium would  really  be  stable.  The  question  wras 
next  taken  up  in  this  country  by  Professors  PEIRCE 
and  BOND.  The  latter  started  from  the  supposed 
result  of  observations — that  new  divisions  show 


*  Mecanique  Celeste,  BOWDITCH'S  translation,  Vol.  II,  pp. 
492-519,  where  LAPLACE'S  conclusion  is,  that  "  the  rings  are 
irregular  solids  of  unequal  widths  in  the  different  parts  of 
their  circumferences,  so  that  their  centers  of  gravity  do  not 
coincide  with  their  centers  of  figure." 


-  Their  Scientific  Work  257 

themselves  from  time  to  time  in  the  ring,  and 
then  close  up  again.* 

He  thence  inferred  that  the  rings  must  be  fluid, 
and,  to  confirm  this  view,  he  showed  the  impossi- 
bility of  even  an  irregular  solid  pair  of  rings  ful- 
filling all  the  necessary  conditions  of  stability  and 
freedom  of  motion. 

Professor  PEIRCE,  taking  up  the  same  subject 
from  a  mathematical  point  of  view,  found  that  no 
conceivable  form  of  irregular  solid  ring  would  be 
in  a  state  of  stable  equilibrium;  he  therefore 
adopted  BOND'S  view  that  the  rings  were  fluid. 
Following  up  the  investigation,  he  found  that  even 
a  fluid  ring  would  not  be  entirely  stable  without 
some  external  support,  and  he  attributed  that  sup- 
port to  the  attractions  of  the  satellites;  but  as 
LAPLACE  did  not  demonstrate  that  irregularities 
would  make  the  ring  stable,  so  PEIRCE  merely  fell 
back  on  the  attractions  of  the  satellites  as  a  sort  of 
forlorn  hope,  but  did  not  demonstrate  that  the  fluid 
ring  would  really  be  stable  under  the  influence  of 
their  attraction.  Indeed,  it  now  seems  very  doubt- 
ful whether  this  attraction  would  have  the  effect 
supposed  by  PEIRCE. 

The  next,  and  we  may  say  the  last,  important 


*  This  is  undoubtedly  the  case,  as  is  shown  by  BOND'S  and 
other  observations.  See  the  drawing  of  /Saturn  of  1855  in  this 
book,  page  251. 


258  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

step  was  taken  by  Prof.  J.  CLERK-MAXWELL,  of 
England,  in  the  ADAMS'  prize  essay  for  1856.*  He 
brought  forward  objections  which  seem  unanswer- 
able against  both  the  solid  and  the  fluid  ring,  and 
revived  a  theory  propounded  by  CASSINI  about  the 
beginning  of  the  last  centur}r.  This  astronomer 
considered  the  ring  to  be  formed  by  a  cloud  of 
satellites,  too  small  to  be  separately  seen  in  the 
telescope,  and  too  close  together  to  admit  of  the 
intervals  between  them  being  visible.  This  is  the 
view  of  the  constitution  of  the  rings  of  Saturn  now 
most  generally  adopted.  The  reason  why  the  ring 
looks  solid  and  continuous  is,  that  the  satellites  are 
too  small  and  too  numerous  to  be  seen  singly. 
They  are  like  the  separate  little  drops  of  water  of 
which  clouds  and  fog  are  composed,  which  to  our 
eyes  seem  like  solid  masses.  In  the  dusky  ring  the 
particles  may  be  so  scattered  that  we  can  see  through 
the  cloud."  The  views  of  MAXWELL  and  Hmx,. 
which  were  derived  from  pure  theory,  have  recently 
received  a  striking  confirmation  from  the  spectro- 
scopic  observations  of  Doctor  KEELER  at  Allegheny, 
and  of  Professor  CAMPBELL  at  the  Lick  Observatory. 
Having  this  general  view  of  the  whole  history 
of  the  researches  on  the  constitution  of  Saturn's 
rings  from  HUYGHENS'  time  until  now,  we  can  see 

*  And,  independently,  by  G.  A.  HIRN.    MAXWELT/S  essay  is 
reprinted  in  his  Scientific  Papers,  Vol.  I,  p.  288. 


-  TJieir  Scientific  Work  259 

what  BOND'S  share  in  the  progress  has  been.  LA- 
PLACE and  HERSCHEL*  had  left  it  possible  to  believe 
that  the  rings  were  solid.  BOND'S  observations 
(1848-51)  made  it  evident  that  this  could  not  be  the 
case.  The  memoirs  of  PEIRCE  and  BOND  suggested 
the  subject  of  the  ADAMS'  prize  essay  of  1856. 

Astronomers  will  be  interested  in  noting  that 
the  method  of  determining  the  parallax  (of  Mars) 
by  differential  observations  in  right  ascension  east 
and  west  of  the  meridian,  was  independently  pro- 
posed by  the  BONDS,  and  carried  into  effect  at  the 
Harvard  College  Observatory  in  1849-50,  ten  years 
before  its  adoption  elsewhere.  Chapter  I  contains 
a  letter  of  W.  C.  BOND  on  this  point,  t 

During  the  years  1855  to  1872  the  observatory 
published  in  its  Annals  various  catalogues  of  faint 
stars  situated  near  to  the  equator.  The  first  cata- 
logue was  of  5500  stars,  the  second  of  4484  stars, 
the  third  of  6100  stars,  or  16,084  stars  in  all.  The 
places  of  these  fixed  stars  were  determined,  so  that 
any  moving  star  (planet)  should  be  detected  and 
discovered.  The  first  object  was  to  discover  new 


*  "  We  may  certainly  affirm  that  the  ring  is  no  less  solid  than 
the  ball."  —  Philosophical  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society  of 
London,  1790,  p.  5. 

t  The  method  was  first  employed  by  CASSINI  and  FLAMSTEED 
in  1672.  BOND'S  results  are  given  in  the  Astronomical  Journal, 
Vol.  5,  p.  53. 


260  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

asteroids,  though  such  zones  have  other  uses.  Two 
asteroids  were  discovered  at  Harvard  College 
Observatory  in  1861  and  1862.  The  first  thirty 
asteroids  were  discovered  in  Europe.  No.  31 
(Euphrosyne)  was  found,  in  1854,  by  FERGUSON,  at 
Washington;  No.  50  (Virginia)  by  FERGUSON,  in 
1857;  No.  55  (Pandora)  in  1858,  by  SEARLE,  at  the 
Dudley  Observatory;  No.  60  (Echo)  by  FERGUSON, 
in  1860;  No.  66  (Maid)  by  H.  P.  TUTTLE,  at  the 
Harvard  College  Observatory,  in  1861;  No.  72 
(Feronid),  1861,  was  the  first  of  the  forty-eight 
asteroids  discovered  by  PETERS,  at  Clinton ;  No.  73 
(Clytie)  was  found  by  TUTTLE,  at  Harvard,  in  1862; 
No.  79  (Eurynome)  was  the  first  of  the  twenty-two 
asteroids  found  by  WATSON,  at  Ann  Arbor;  and 
from  1862  onwards  PETERS  and  WATSON,  in  Amer- 
ica, PALISA,  LUTHER,  BORRELLY  and  others,  abroad, 
swelled  the  list  until  it  has  attained  its  present  large 
proportions. 

In  the  earlier  years  of  the  observatory  GEORGE 
BOND  searched  assiduously  for  comets;  and  eleven 
comets  were  independently  discovered  by  him.  He 
was  anticipated,  however,  in  his  discovery  of  unex- 
pected comets,  by  European  observers,  by  a  few 
days,  or  even  hours,  in  every  case  except  that  of  the 
second  comet  of  1850,  discovered  August  29th.  The 
return  of  ENCKE'S  comet,  in  1848,  was  observed  by 


-Their  Scientific  Work  261 

BOND  two  or  three  days  before  it  was  seen  in 
Europe.  On  June  2,  1845,  and  April  11,  1849, 
comets  were  discovered  by  him  on  the  nights  of 
their  discovery  in  Europe,  but  a  few  hours  later. 
In  later  years  BOND  ceased  to  search  for  new 
comets,  as  he  found  that  his  eyes  were  suffering 
from  the  strain. 

He  was  assiduous,  also,  in  calculating  the  ele- 
ments of  the  orbits  of  new  comets,  and  had  com- 
puted more  than  a  score  of  comet  orbits  before  1851. 
The  first  orbit  of  Hyperion  was  due  to  him,  also. 
Two  of  the  TUTTLES  (C.  W.  and  H.  P.)  were  succes- 
sively assistants  at  the  observatory,  and  five  comets 
were  discovered  by  the  latter.  I  believe  it  is  not 
generally  known  that  HORACE  TUTTLE  discovered 
the  great  comet  of  1858  sometime  before  it  was 
found  by  DONATI.  It  was  very  faint,  and  among  a 
number  of  nebulae.  Before  the  discovery  was  made 
absolutely  sure  by  measures  of  position,  it  was 
announced  from  Europe. 

The  invention  of  photography  by  DAGUERRE 
(in  1839)  opened  the  way  to  an  immense  step  in  astro- 
nomical progress.  The  daguerreotype  was  first 
employed  to  photograph  the  moon  by  Prof.  JOHN 
WILLIAM  DRAPER,  of  New  York,  on  March  23, 
1840,  but  the  exposure  was  very  long  (twenty  min- 
utes). A  daguerreotype  of  the  solar  eclipse  of  1842 


262  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

was  taken  by  MAJOCCHI  in  Milan,  and  of  that  of 
1851  by  BUSCH  of  Koenigsberg.  In  April,  1845,  on 
the  advice  of  ARAGO,  MM.  FOUCAULT  and  FIZEAU, 
of  the  Paris  Observatory,  made  daguerreotypes  of 
the  sun.  In  1849  (December  18)  the  first  daguer- 
reotype of  the  moon  was  made  at  the  Harvard  Col- 
lege Observatory  by  Messrs.  WHIPPLE  and  BLACK, 
under  the  direction  of  the  BONDS.  The  telescope 
was  not  corrected  for  the  photographic  rays,  and, 
therefore,  under  no  circumstances  could  perfect 
results  be  obtained,  but  after  a  few  trials  pictures 
of  the  moon  were  secured,  which  were  exceeding!}' 
interesting.  The  best  of  them  were  taken  to 
Europe  by  GEORGE  BOND  in  1851,  and  created  a 
veritable  furore*  The  first  photograph  of  a  star 
(a  Lyrse)  was  made  at  the  Harvard  College  Observ- 
atory on  July  17,  1850,  and  enough  was  done  to 
show  that  the  photographic  method  was  very  suit- 
able for  fixing  the  relative  positions  of  double  stars, 
for  the  determination  of  stellar  parallax,  for  mak- 
ing star  maps,  etc.  A  letter  of  GEORGE  BOND'S 
(dated  July  6, 1857),  on  the  general  subject  of  astro- 
nomical photography,  is  printed  in  full  in  Chapter 
IV.  A  part  of  it  is  reprinted  here,  and  it  will  be 
seen  that  in  1857  BOND  thoroughly  understood  the 
whole  question.  He  is  the  father  of  celestial 

*In  1852  the  exposure  on  the  full  moon  was  between  five 
and  six  seconds  for  the  best  results. 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  263 

photography.  Doctor  LEWIS  RUTHERFORD'S  splen- 
did work  did  uot  begin  till  later.  His  observatory 
was  built  in  1856;  he  turned  his  attention  to  pho- 
tography in  1858;  and  his  earliest  photograph  of  the 
moon  was  taken  in  June  of  the  latter  year.  Doctor 
HENRY  DRAPER  was  still  later  in  the  field,  1863. 
Doctor  DE  LA  RUE'S  first  photographs  of  the  moon 
were  made  in  1852,  after  having  seen  the  Harvard 
College  results.  It  was  not  until  1857  that  he  began 
his  series  of  most  successful  lunar  photographs. 
The  suggestion  to  use  the  large  telescope  for  photog- 
raphy was  made  by  the  younger  BOND,  and  most 
of  the  work  at  the  telescope  was  done  by  him. 
The  photographic  manipulations  were  all  made  by 
Messrs.  WHIPPLE  and  BLACK,  who  gave  their  time 
and  service  without  payment  in  a  very  disinterested 
manner. 

After  reciting  the  history  of  the  subject,  BOND'S 
letter  goes  on  to  say:  — 

The  results  already  obtained  are  of  the  highest 
interest,  and  suggest  possibilities  in  the  future 
which  one  can  scarcely  trust  himself  to  speculate 
upon.  Could  another  step  in  advance  be  taken 
equal  to  that  gained  since  1850,  the  consequences 
could  not  fail  of  being  of  incalculable  importance 
in  astronomy.  The  same  object,  a  Lyrse,  which  in 
1850  required  100  seconds  to  impart  its  image  to 
the  plate,  and  even  then  imperfectly,  is  now  photo- 
graphed instantaneously  with  a  symmetrical  disc, 
perfectly  fit  for  exact  micrometer  measures.  We 
then  were  confined  to  a  dozen  or  two  of  the  brightest 


264  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

stars,  whereas  now  we  take  all  that  are  visible  to 
the  naked  eye.  Even  from  week  to  week  we  can 
distinguish  decided  progress.  Of  the  beauty  and 
convenience  of  the  method,  you  will  scarcely  form 
a  correct  idea  without  witnessing  for  yourself,  which 
I  hope  you  will  be  able  to  do  before  long.  On  a 
fine  night  the  amount  of  work  which  can  be  accom- 
plished, with  entire  exemption  from  the  trouble, 
vexation  and  fatigue  that  seldom  fail  to  attend  upon 
ordinary  observations,  is  astonishing.  The  plates, 
once  secured,  can  be  laid  by  for  future  study  by  day- 
light and  at  leisure.  The  record  is  there,  with  no 
room  for  doubt  or  mistake  as  to  its  fidelity.  As  yet, 
however,  we  obtain  images  only  from  stars  to  the 
sixth  magnitude,  inclusive.  To  be  of  essential  service 
to  astronomy,  it  is  indispensable  that  great  improve- 
ments be  yet  made,  and  these  I  feel  sure  will  not  be 
accomplished  without  a  deal  of  experimenting. 

But  could  we  but  press  the  matter  on,  we  should 
soon  be  able  to  say  what  we  can  and  what  we  can- 
not accomplish  in  stellar  photography.  The  latter 
limits  we  certainly  have  not  yet  reached.  At  pres- 
ent the  chief  object  of  attention  must  be  to  im- 
prove the  sensitiveness  of  the  plates,  to  which,  I 
am  assured  by  high  authorities  in  chemistry,  there 
is  scarcely  any  limit  to  be  put  in  point  of  theory. 
Suppose  we  are  able  finally  to  obtain  pictures  of 
seventh -magnitude  stars.  It  is  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose that,  on  some  lofty  mountain  and  in  a  purer 
atmosphere,  we  might,  with  the  same  telescope, 
include  the  eighth-magnitude.  To  increase  the 
size  of  the  telescope  three-fold  in  aperture  is  a  prac- 
ticable thing,  if  the  money  can  be  found.  This 
would  increase  the  brightness  of  the  stellar  images, 
say  eight-fold,  and  we  should  be  able  then  to  pho- 
tograph all  the  stars  to  the  tenth  and  eleventh 
magnitude,  inclusive.  There  is  nothing,  then,  so 
extravagant  in  predicting  a  future  application  of 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  265 

photography  to  stellar  astronomy  on  a  most  mag- 
nificent scale.  It  is,  even  at  this  moment,  simply  a 
question  of  finding  one  or  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars  to  make  the  telescope  with  and  to  keep  up 
the  experiments. 

What  more  admirable  method  can  be  imagined 
for  the  study  of  the  orbits  of  the  fixed  stars  and 
for  resolving  the  problem  of  their  annual  parallax 
than  this  would  be,  if  we  could  obtain  the  impres- 
sions of  the  telescopic  stars  to  the  tenth  magnitude? 
Consider,  too,  that  groups  of  ten,  or  fifty  even,  if  so 
many  occur  in  the  compass  of  the  field,  will  be 
taken  as  quickly  as  one  alone  would  be  —  perhaps 
in  a  few  seconds  only  —  and  each  mapped  out  with 
unimpeachable  accuracy. 

I  have  not  alluded  to  two  important  features  in 
stellar  photography.  One  is,  that  the  intensity  and 
size  of  the  images,  taken  in  connection  with  the 
length  of  time  during  which  the  plate  has  been 
exposed,  measure  the  relative  magnitudes  of  the 
stars.  The  other  point  is,  that  the  measurements  of 
distances  and  angles  of  position  of  the  double  stars 
from  the  plates,  we  have  ascertained  by  many  trials 
on  our  earliest  impressions,  to  be  as  exact  as  the  best 
micrometric  work.  Our  subsequent  pictures  are 
much  more  perfect,  and  should  do  better  still.*  .  .  . 
HARVARD  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY,  1857,  July  6. 

Every  line  of  this  letter  shows  that  BOND  under- 
stood the  entire  capabilities  of  the  photographic 

*  In  the  Observatory  Notebook  of  April  30,  1857,  BOND  says : 
"Any  considerable  improvement  in  the  sensitiveness  of  the 
present  photographic  processes  will  revolutionize  practical 
astronomy —  such  an  improvement  as  will  enable  us  to  take 
stars  of  the  tenth  magnitude  in  a  second  or  two."  It  will  be 
observed  that  mountain  observatories  are  proposed ;  and  that 
the  last  paragraph  contains  the  germ  of  a  photographic  pho- 
tometry. BOND  was  the  first  observer  to  determine  the  relative 
brightness  of  stars  by  photography.  See  Astronomische  Nach- 
richten,  vol.  49,  col.  8i. 


266  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

methods,  in  1857,  exactly  as  they  are  understood 
to-day.  His  knowledge  was  based  on  hundreds  of 
experiments,  extending  over  eight  years.  This 
letter  was  first  printed  in  the  Publications  of  the 
Astronomical  Society  of  the  Pacific,  in  November, 
1890.  Since  that  time,  certainly,  there  has  been  no 
excuse  for  denying  to  BOND  his  just  deserts.  It  is 
to  him  that  astronomers  must  look  as  the  true 
founder  of  photographic  astronomy.  The  path  that 
he  traced  out  has  been  followed  with  brilliant  suc- 
cess by  a  host  of  investigators  of  talent  or  of 
genius,  and  nowhere  with  more  success  than  at  the 
Harvard  College  Observatory  in  recent  years. 
But  it  is  the  simplest  justice  to  acknowledge  his 
priority.  This  can  be  done  without  in  the  least 
detracting  from  a  profound  admiration  for  those 
who  followed  in  his  footsteps. 

The  third  volume  of  the  Annals  of  the  Harvard 
College  Observatory,  published  in  1862,  is  entirely 
devoted  to  the  observations  made  by  BOND  (and 
others)  upon  the  great  comet  of  1858,  and  to  a  dis- 
cussion of  the  comet  with  the  object  of  throwing 
light  upon  the  mysteries  of  its  physical  constitu- 
tion. The  text  is  accompanied  by  a  series  of  very 
remarkable  steel  plates  (one  of  which  is  repro- 
duced in  the  frontispiece  of  the  present  volume), 
which  represent  in  the  most  faithful  manner  the 


-  Their  Scientific  Work  267 

appearances  of  the  comet  to  the  eye  and  in  the 
telescope.  Nothing  of  anything  like  this  excellence 
had  ever  been  done  before;  now  that  we  have 
photography  to  aid  us,  nothing  of  the  sort  will 
ever  be  done  again.  It  stands  alone,  and  is  and 
will  remain  unique  of  its  class. 

The  great  comet  of  1858  was  discovered  while 
it  was  yet  a  faint  object,  by  Doctor  DONATI,  of 
Florence.  Its  whole  history  was  remarkable.  It 
was  visible  to  the  naked  eye  for  no  less  than  112 
days  (August  19th  to  December  9th),  and  in  the 
telescope  275  days  (June  2,  1858,  to  the  4th  of  the 
following  March).  Its  motions  were  such  as  to 
present  it,  a  splendid  object  in  the  west,  near  the 
bright  star  Arcturus  during  its  period  of  greatest 
brilliancy.  It  was  so  bright  that  processes  taking 
place  within  its  head  and  the  surrounding  envel- 
opes were  readily  followed.  Such  an  opportunity 
for  a  thorough  investigation  had  not  presented 
itself  for  long  years,  and  there  has  been  no  comet 
since  1858  which  was  anything  like  so  favorably 
situated.  The  opportunity  was  unique.  The 
comet  was  studied  by  astronomers  all  over  the 
world,  and  their  results  were  presented  in  the 
fullest  form.  There  is  no  memoir  approaching 
BOND'S  in  completeness.  The  fundamental  mystery 
of  cometic  constitution  was  not  solved  by  him,  nor  is 
it  solved  to-day;  but  every  phenomenon  of  the 


268  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

comet's  development  was  elaborately  described,  and 
many  important  and  original  conclusions  were 
drawn.  Of  the  fifteen  chapters  of  the  volume,  ten 
were  devoted  to  the  phenomena  of  the  tail  (tails) 
and  three  to  the  nucleus  and  envelopes.  The  form  of 
the  head  of  the  comet  was  elaborately  studied,  and 
its  shape  determined  to  be  that  of  a  catenary  curve, 
rather  than  that  of  a  parabola.  The  phenomena 
of  the  production  of  the  successive  envelopes  from 
the  nucleus  led  BOND  to  conclusions  which  were 
doubted  at  first,  but  which  were  subsequently  veri- 
fied (by  him)  in  the  case  of  the  bright  comet  of 
1861.*  The  next  bright  comet  that  appears  (may 
it  come  soon)  will  be  studied  with  the  enormous 
advantage  of  photographic  registration.  We  have 
already  reason  to  believe  that  such  a  study  will  go 
far  towards  providing  a  satisfactory  theory  of  the 
constitution  of  these  enigmatic  bodies. 

The  memoir  of  BOND  will  provide  a  ready  test 
of  any  such  complete  theory,  which  must  not  only 
account  for  the  observed  appearances,  but  also  for 
those  of  the  comet  of  1858,  as  laid  down  in  this 
volume.  It  is  not  practicable  to  convey  to  the  non- 
professional  reader  an  adequate  idea  of  the  merit 


*  BOND  was  in  the  habit  of  saying  that  this  cornet  so  fully 
upheld  and  illustrated  his  theory  of  the  formation  of  the  envel- 
opes, etc.,  that,  once  having  the  idea,  he  could  afford  to  throw 
away  all  his  work  on  the  DONATI  Comet,  and  deduce  every 
conclusion  from  the  phenomena  presented  by  the  comet  of  1861. 


-  Their  Scientific  Work  269 

of  this  great  work  without  going  into  details  for 
which  there  is  no  room  here.  It  may  suffice  to 
say,  that  the  opinion  of  astronomers  is  unanimous 
that  no  such  satisfying  investigation  of  a  comet  is 
known,  and  that  the  highest  award  of  the  Royal 
Astronomical  Society  of  London  (its  gold  medal) 
was  rightly  adjudged  to  BOND  for  his  memoir. 

The  engraving  which  is  here  reproduced  may 
serve  as  an  index  of  the  beauty  as  well  as  of  the 
completeness  of  this  monumental  work,  when  it  is 
remembered  that  this  plate  is  but  one  among  many. 

The  list  of  GEORGE  BOND'S  papers,  in  the  Appen- 
dix, contains  several  on  purely  mathematical  sub- 
jects, which  can  only  be  referred  to  here.  His 
paper  on  Mechanical  Quadratures  was  printed  in 
1849,  when  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age,  and  it 
anticipates,  by  two  years,  a  part  of  the  papers  of 
ENCKE  on  the  same  subject.  A  letter  of  ENCKE'S 
(dated  May  19,  1852)  will  be  found  in  Chapter  IV, 
in  which  BOND'S  priority  is  very  handsomely 
acknowledged. 

In  September,  1860,  BOND  communicated  to  the 
American  Academy  two  papers  on  photometry, 
which  demand  a  notice  here.  Their  titles  were, 
(1)  On  the  Light  of  the  Moon  and  of  the  Planet 
Jupiter,  (2)  Comparison  of  the  Light  of  the  Sun  and 
Moon.  The  correspondence  in  Chapter  IV  contains 


270  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

some    references    to    these    works.     The    extracts 
which  follow  will  exhibit  the  plan  of  the  research. 

On  the  22d  of  March,  1851,  several  daguerreo- 
type pictures  of  Jupiter  were  obtained  on  plates 
exposed  at  the  focus  of  the  great  refractor.  The 
belts  were  faintly  indicated;  but  the  most  inter- 
esting fact  in  connection  with  the  experiment,  apart 
from  its  having  been,  as  is  believed,  the  first 
instance  of  a  photographic  impression  obtained 
from  a  planet,  was  the  shortness  of  the  time  of  the 
exposure,  which  was  nearly  the  same  as  for  the 
moon,  whereas,  considering  the  relative  distance  of 
the  two  bodies  from  the  sun,  it  was  to  have  been 
expected  that  the  light  of  the  moon  would  have  had 
twenty-seven  times  more  intensity  than  that  of 
Jupiter,  supposing  equal  capacities  for  reflection. 
The  experiments  were  repeated  on  the  8th  and  9th 
of  October,  1857,  by  Mr.  WHIPPLE,  using  the  collo- 
dion process,  with  a  like  result.* 

From  many  experiments,  BOND  found  that 
"  Jupiter  reflects,  out  of  a  given  quantity  of  incident 
light,  fourteen  times  more  of  the  chemical  [photo- 
graphic] rays  than  the  moon  does.  The  distribu- 
tion of  light  over  the  discs  of  Jupiter  and  the  moon 
presented,  in  the  photographs,  a  decided  contrast; 
the  former  is  brightest  near  the  center,  the  latter 
near  the  margin. "f 

BOND'S  experiments  show  that  the  moon  ab- 
sorbs about  ten  parts  out  of  every  eleven  of  the- 


*  The  energetic  action  of  Jupiter's  light  was  also  remarked' 
by  Dr.  DE  LA  RUE,  in  England,  in  December,  1857. 

t  Jupiter  has  a  dense  atmosphere;  the  moon  has  none,  or 
very  little.  Photographs  of  Mars  are  like  those  of  the  moon, 
not  like  those  of  Jupiter,  in  this  respect,  as  was  remarked  by 
BOND,  and  this  fact  of  observation  has  an  important  bearing 
on  the  question  of  the  atmosphere  of  Mars.  It  indicates  that 
the  atmosphere  of  that  planet  is  exceedingly  thin. 


-Their  Scientific  Work  271 

light  which  falls  upon  it,  while  Jupiter  actually 
reflects,  according  to  his  figures,  more  light  than  it 
receives — i.  e.  is  to  a  small  degree  self-luminous. 
Measures  were  made  of  the  relative  brightness  of 
Venus  and  Jupiter,  etc.,  using  the  flame  of  a  lamp 
as  a  standard  of  comparison. 

In  his  second  paper,  the  brightness  ef  the  sun 
and  moon  were  compared  through  the  intermedia- 
tion of  a  Bengal  light  flame.  His  conclusion  was, 
that  the  light  of  the  sun  (seen  visually,  not  pho- 
tographically) was  equal  to  that  of  470,980  full 
moons.  In  such  delicate  experiments  as  theser 
where  the  physiology  of  the  eye  plays  its  part,  as 
well  as  the  physics  of  the  apparatus  employed,  there 
are  many  pitfalls,  all  of  which  have  not  been 
avoided  in  the  research  in  question.  The  flames 
of  the  standard  lamp  and  of  the  Bengal  light  are  by 
no  means  constant,  even  for  short  times.  The  back- 
ground on  which  the  sun  is  projected  is  very 
different  from  the  night-sky  behind  the  moon,  and, 
finally,  the  colors  of  sun,  moon,  Jupiter  and  Mars 
are  very  different.  Some  of  these  points  are  dis- 
cussed by  BOND,  and  he  gives  his  final  conclusions 
with  due  reserve,  also.  The  same  subject  has  been 
carefully  worked  over  by  ZOELLNER  with  exceeding 
care.  In  the  nature  of  the  case,  all  results  of  this  sort 
are  subject  to  large  errors  (say  five  per  cent.,  or  even 
ten).  ZOELLNER'S  figure  for  the  relative  brightness 


272  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

(visual)  of  the  sun  and  moon  is  618,000 ;  and  he 
finds  that  while  the  moon  reflects  ^  of  the  light 
which  falls  upon  it  *  (such  light  as  the  eye  can 
appreciate),  Jupiter  reflects  ^,  or  three  and  one  half 
times  as  much.  BOND'S  conclusion  was,  that  Jupiter 
reflects  eleven  times  as  much  (visual),  and  fourteen 
times  as  much  (photographic). 

While  BOND'S  general  conclusions  are  correct,  it 
is  certain  that  his  figures  are  too  high.  These 
memoirs  are  of  considerable  value  in  several  direc- 
tions, especially  for  BOND'S  conclusions  as  to  the 
nature  of  the  lunar  surface. 

u  If  the  full  moon  were  polished  perfectly  smooth, 
we  should  not  see  its  limb  [circumference]  at  all, 
but  only  an  image  of  the  sun,  formed  by  reflection 
from  its  surface;  the  visibility  of  its  outline,  then, 
is  entirely  due  to  its  asperities,  and  the  particular 
way  in  which  these  are  disposed  will  have  a  great 
effect  on  the  distribution  of  its  light."  "  It  may  be 
worth  while  to  notice,  too,  that  the  moon  is  little, 
if  at  all,  exposed  to  the  disintegrating  action  of 
water  or  of  an  atmosphere;  hence  it  is  not  unlikely 
that  its  surface,  instead  of  presenting  the  dull, 
weather-worn  aspect  of  the  earth,  may  rather  resem- 
ble that  of  bright,  fresh -fractured  rocks,  with  their 
usual  crystalline  lustre." 

These  two  papers  may  be  called  highly  sug- 
gestive, rather  than  final. 


*  About  the  same  amount  as  is  reflected  by  dark  sandstone 
rock. 


-  Their  Scientific  Work  273 

In  the  year  1848  WILLIAM  BOND  had  printed 
a  paper  which  contained  a  part,  only,  of  his  obser- 
vations on  the  great  nebula  of  Orion.  The  paper 
had  merit,  but  it  was  open  to  criticism  in  several 
respects.  OTTO  STRUVE,  in  his  memoir  on  the  same 
object,  criticised  it  with  some  severity,  and  it  was 
partly  on  this  account  that  GEORGE  BOND  took  up 
the  study  of  the  nebula  of  Orion  in  1857.  It  was  his 
object  to  make  a  thorough-going  investigation  of 
the  nebula  in  all  respects,  to  vindicate  the  reputa- 
tion of  the  observatory  and  to  leave  behind  him 
a  complete  monograph.  The  observations  on  the 
nebula  were  interrupted  by  the  work  on  the  Comet 
of  DONATI,  and  were  not  resumed  for  some  years. 

The  work  was  never  finished,  though  it  was  pur- 
sued by  BOND  with  feverish  anxiety  in  the  midst 
of  hindrances  of  various  kinds,  and  when  his  con- 
stitution was  already  broken  by  a  mortal  disease. 
After  his  death  his  observations  were  edited  by 
Professor  SAFFORD,  some  time  assistant  in  the 
observatory,  and  they  were  printed  in  Volume  V 
of  the  Annals.  Even  in  this  fragmentary  and 
unsatisfactory  form,  BOND'S  memoir  on  the  nebula 
is  far  the  most  complete  that  exists.  If  he  had 
lived  to  finish  it,  we  should  have  had  another 
model  to  follow,  like  the  monograph  on  the  comet 
of  1858. 

During  the  years  1874-80  I  employed  the  26-inch 


274  Memorial,  of  the  Bonds 

telescope  at  Washington,  when  it  could  be  spared  to 
me,  in  an  examination  of  the  nebula  of  Orion*  and 
thus  became  entirely  familiar  with  the  work  of  all 
the  observers  who  have  examined  this  brilliant 
object,  from  the  time  of  HUYGHENS  (1656)  down  to 
the  present  day.  Their  published  observations 
were  studied  in  detail,  and  in  the  case  of  BOND  I 
had  the  advantage,  not  only  of  his  printed  observa- 
tions, but  also  of  his  manuscript  notebooks,  which 
were  kindly  put  at  my  disposition  by  Professor 
PICKERING,  director  of  the  Harvard  College  Observ- 
atory. In  many  places  in  my  Monograph,  I  have 
expressed  my  admiration  for  the  thoroughness  of 
BOND'S  work,  which  was  done  with  a  15-inch  tele- 
scope and  revised  by  me  with  the  Washington 
instrument,  which  collected  three  times  as  much 
light.  The  following  quotation  from  my  paper  of 
1880  will  serve  to  show  the  judgment  I  was  led  to 
form  of  BOND'S  exactness  and  minute  care  and 
accuracy  in  his  admirable  study  of  the  nebula. 

"  I  am  acquainted  with  but  one  drawing  of  the 
nebula  which  is  entirely  above  criticism  —  that  of 
the  late  G.  P.  BOND.  He  was  himself  a  skilled 
artist,  and  he  had  been  familiar  with  the  nebula 
for  fifteen  or  twenty  years.  He  made  scores  of 
drawings,  in  white  on  black,  and  the  reverse,  in 
colors,  etc.  Each  of  these  was  revised  and  re-revised 
many  times.  The  final  drawing  in  water-color 


*  Monograph  of  the  central  parts  of  the  nebula  of   Orion, 
Washington  Astronomical  Observations  for  1878,  Appendix  I. 


-  Their  Scientific   Work  275 

was  copied  by  Mr.  WATTS,  a  skillful  engraver, 
who  himself  was  extremely  familiar  with  the  neb- 
ula, from  repeated  views  and  studies  of  it  through 
the  Harvard  refractor.  The  revisions  of  the  orig- 
inal plate  lasted  many  months,  and  I  have  myself 
examined  from  fifteen  to  twenty  'final'  revises  of 
the  plate.  Color,  form  and  relative  brilliancy  were 
all  successively  and  exhaustively  criticized,  and 
Professor  BOND  expressed  himself  as  fully  satisfied 
with  the  plate  in  ever}*  essential  feature.  Add  to 
this,  that  with  the  exception  of  a  few  points,  else- 
where considered,  this  engraving  has  been  con- 
stantly satisfactory  to  me  in  my  very  frequent 
comparisons  of  it  with  the  nebula,  even  under  the 
severest  criticism  which  I  could  apply." 

BOND'S  catalogue  of  1101  stars  in  the  nebula  was 
carefully  revised  for  the  portions  which  I  had  under 
examination,  and  his  conclusions  as  to  situation, 
brightness,  etc.,  of  the  stars,  were  verified.  His 
catalogue,  made  with  a  15-inch  telescope,  contains 
almost  every  star  visible  in  the  much  more  power- 
ful instruments  used  by  LASSELL,  Lord  ROSSE  and 
myself.  The  first  photograph  of  the  nebula  of 
Orion  was  made  by  Dr.  HENRY  DRAPER  in  1880, 
and  in  1882  he  obtained  (with  an  exposure  of  137 
minutes)  a  most  satisfactory  representation  of  its 
central  regions.  Such  an  autographic  chart  affords 
a  severe  test  of  all  previous  visual  work,  such  as 
that  of  BOND.  A  careful  comparison  of  the  photo- 
graphs with  BOND'S  drawing  only  shows  in  a  new 
light  the  astonishing  fidelity  of  the  latter. 


APPENDIX 

LIST    OF  THE   SCIENTIFIC  WRITINGS    OF  WILLIAM 
CRANCH  BOND 

(COMPILED  BY  MRS.  RICHARD  F.  BOND) 

Occultations  of  Aldebaran  and  o-  Leonis,  observed  at 
Dorchester,  1829-30.— Astr.  Nachr.  viii,  1831,  pp. 
351-354;  mentioned,  also,  in  a  letter  from  R.  T. 
PAINE,  A.  N.  viii,  pp.  349,  350;  noticed,  also,  by 
WUBM  in  A.  N.  ix,  pp.  138-140. 

Occultations  and  Eclipses,  observed  at  Dorchester, 
Mass. —  Am.  Acad.  Mem..  New  Ser.  i,  1833,  pp. 
79-83. 

Observations  on  the  Comparative  Rates  of  Marine 
Chronometers. — Am.  Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser.  i,  1833, 
pp.  84-90. 

A  Chart,  representing  tbe  extraordinary  variations  of 
the  magnetic  declination  during  the  term  day,  on 
the  29th  of  May  last  [1840],  prepared  from  obser- 
vations at  the  magnetic  observatory  at  Cambridge. 
— Am.  Phil.  Soc.  Proc.  i,  1841,  p.  293;  presented 
by  Professor  BACHE  at  the  meeting  of  Nov.  6, 1840. 

Transit  of  Mercury,  May  8,  1845. — Am.  Acad.  Proc.  i, 
1848,  pp.  14-16;  read  by  Professor  PEIRCE,  Aug. 
12,  1846. 

Moon  Culminations,  observed  at  Cambridge  Observa- 
tory, corrected  for  collimation,  level  and  azimu- 
thal  deviation  of  the  transit  instrument,  and  for 
clock  rate  and  error  on  sidereal  time. — Am.  Acad. 
Proc.  i,  1848,  pp.  5-13;  read  by  Professor  PEIRCE, 
Aug.  12,  1846. 


Writings  of  W.  C.  Bond  277 

Transit  of  Mercury,  May  8,  1845,  pp.  14-16;  Observa- 
tions on  the  Comets  of  1845  and  1846,  pp.  17,  18; 
Solar  Eclipse  of  May,  1845,  p.  19;  Solar  Eclipse 
of  Apr.,  1846,  pp.  20,  21;  Notes  on  Meteors,  pp. 
21,  22.—Am.-Acad.  Proc.  i,  1848,  pp.  14-22;  read 
by  Professor  PEIKCE,  Aug.  12,  1846. 

Observations  on  the  New  Comet  [discovered  by  DE 
Vico],  first  seen  in  this  country  by  my  son, 
GEORGE  P.  BOND,  Feb.  26,  1846.— Astr.  Nachr. 
xxiv,  1846,  pp.  91,  92. 

Observations  on  the  New  Planet  [Neptune']. — Astr. 
Nachr.  xxv,  1847,  pp.  231-234,  301,  302. 

Observations  and  Elements  of  DE  Vice's  Fourth 
Comet  (Feb.  20,  1846).— 5.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not. 
vii,  1847,  pp.  92,  93,  187.  (First  seen  in  America 
by  G.  P.  B.,  Feb.  26,  1846.) 

Observations  of  Neptune. — R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  vii, 
1847,  pp.  157-225,  256-307. 

Observations  of  Comet  of  May  19,  1846.— .R.  A.  S. 
Monthly  Not.  vii,  1847,  pp.  187-188. 

Observations  of  HIND'S  Second  Comet,  March,  1847. — 
R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  vii,  1847,  p.  273. 

Observations  on  the  Planet  Neptune,  1846-47. — Am. 
Acad.  Proc.  i,  1848,  pp.  50,  51;  communicated 
Jan.  27,  1847. 

Observations  on  the  Comet  of  March  4, 1847,  pp.  69,  70; 
Moon  Culminations,  observed  at  Cambridge  (1840- 
42),  pp.  70-103;  Moon  Culminations,  observed  at 
Dorchester  (1838-39),  pp.  104-128.— Am.Acad.Proc. 
i,  1848,  pp.  69-128;  communicated  Mar.  16,  1847. 

Observations  on  the  Planet  Neptune,  near  its  quad- 
rature, p.  168;  Observations  on  MAUVAIS'S  Comet 
of  July  4,  1847,  pp.  169,  170;  Moon  Culminations, 
observed  at  Cambridge  (1846-47),  pp.  170-174, 
175-177.— Am.  Acad.  Proc.  i,  1848,  pp.  168-177; 
communicated  Oct.  5,  1847. 

Observations  on  Miss  MITCHELL'S  Comet  of  Oct.  1, 
1847,  p.  183;  Observations  on  LASSELL'S  Satel- 
lite of  Neptune,  p.  184.— Am.  Acad.  Proc.  i,  1848, 
pp.  183-184;  communicated  Nov.  2,  1847. 


278  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Nebula  in  Orion,  resolved  by  the  new  telescope  in  the 
observatory  of  Harvard  College. — Am.  Journ.  Sci. 
and  Arts,  Ser.  2,  iv,  1847,  pp.  426,  427. 

Description  of  the  Nebula  about  the  Star  0  Orionis. — 
Am.  Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser.  iii,'  1848,  pp.  87-96, 
plate;  read  before  the  Academy,  Apr.  3,  1848. 

Results  of  Recent  Observations  on  the  Planet  Jupiter 
and  on  the  Nebulae  Herschel,  Nos.  1357  and  1376, 
and  the  Great  Nebula  of  Orion. — Am.  Acad. 
Proc.  i,  1848,  pp.  325,  326;  communicated  Mar. 
7,  1848. 

"Mr.  BOND  Communicated  a  Farther  Notice,  respect- 
ing the  third  satellite  of  Jupiter." — Am.  Acad. 
Proc.  i,  1848,  pp.  327-329;  communicated  April 
4,  1848. 

Brief  Account  of  the  Large  Refracting  Telescope. — 
Astr.  Nachr.  xxvi,  1848,  pp.  167-172;  letter  to 
E.  EVERETT,  July  26,  1847,  sent  by  him,  with  a 
notice  of  G.  P.  B's  discovery  of  a  comet,  to  the 
editor. 

Residual  Differences  between  the  Theoretical  and 
Observed  Longitudes  of  Uranus.  —  Astr.  Nachr. 
xxvii,  1848,  pp.  203,  204. 

Observations  of  the  Comet  of  Oct.,  1847  (MARIA  MITCH- 
ELL'S), pp.  287,  288;  Observations  on  LASSELL'S 
Satellite  of  Neptune,  Beilage  zu  No.  618,  Oct., 
1847.— Astr.  Nachr.  xxvi,  1848,  pp.  287,  288,  and 
Beilage. 

Notice  of  the  Discovery  of  a  Comet  by  G.  P.  BOND 
[the  fifth  discovered  by  him],  July  14,  1847. — 
Astr.  Nachr.  xxvi,  1848,  pp.  171-172  [MAUVAIS'S 
Comet]. 

Announcement  of  the  Discovery  of  a  new  Satellite  of 
Saturn,  by  G.  P.  BOND,  Sept.  16,  1848.— R.  A.  S. 
Monthly  Not.  ix,  1849,  pp.  1,  2,  404. 

Description  of  the  Observatory  at  Cambridge,  Mass.  - 
Am.  Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser.,  iv,  1849,  pp.  177-188, 
plates;  communicated  to  the  Acad.  Nov.  8,  1848. 

Discovery  of  an  Eighth  Satellite  of  Saturn,  Sept.  16, 
1848.— Astr.  Nachr.  xxviii,  1849,  pp.  25,  26. 


Writings  of  W.  C.  Bond  279 

Letter  to  the  Secretary,  concerning  the  proposed  chro- 

nometric  expedition  to    determine  the  longitude 

of  the  Observatory  of  Harvard  College. — R.  A.  S. 

Monthly  Not.  ix,  1849,  p.  151. 
Letters  on  Same  Subject  to  Mr.   HARTNUP,  of 

the  Liverpool    Observatory.  —  R.   A.   S.  Monthly 

Not.  xv,  1855,  p.  215. 
MAUVAIS'S   Third   Comet,  Apr.  21,   1848.  —  R.  A.   S. 

Monthly  Not.  ix,  1849,  p.  10. 
Observations  on  HIND'S  Changing  Star,  and   loss  of 

three  stars    near  Procyon,  in    1848. — Mentioned, 

but  not  given  in  full,  in  R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  ix, 

1849,  p.  18.    In  xi,  pp.  20-27,  G.  P.  B's  discovery  of 

the  ring  of  Saturn  is  discussed,  in  connection  with 

observations  of  LASSELL  and  DAWES;  and  in  xii,  p. 

155    (1852),  a  note   from  W.   C.  B.  is  quoted  in 

regard  to  the  divisions  of  the  ring. 
ENCKE'S  Comet,  Aug.-NoV  1848.  — #.  A.  S.  Monthly 

Not.  ix,  1849,  pp.  10,  106-107. 
PETERSEN'S  Second  Comet  [discovered  independently 

by  G.  P.  B.,  Nov.  25,  1848].— R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not. 

ix,  1849,  pp.  26,  107. 
SCHWEIZER'S  Comet  [discovered  a  few  hours  later  by 

G.  P.  B.,  April  11,  1849].— 5.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not. 

ix,  1849,  pp.  128,  162,  163. 
Observations  on  FAYE'S  Comet. — R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not. 

xi,  1850-51,  p.  63. 
Appearance  of  Saturn's  Ring,  etc., — R.  A.  S.  Monthly 

Not.  x,  1849-50,  pp.  16-22. 
Observations  of  Parthenope. — R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  xi, 

1850-51,  p.  9. 
Observations  of  PETERSEN'S  Third  Comet. —  R.  A.  S. 

Monthly  Not.  xi,  1850-51,  pp.  15,  16. 
Report  on  Longitude,  Telegraphic  and  Chronometric 

Operations.  —  Coast  Survey  Report,  1851,  pp.  34, 

35 
Elements  of  BRORSEN'S  Comet.— Gould's  Astr.  Journ. 

ii,  1851,  p.  62 
On   the  New   Ring  of  Saturn. — Am.  Journ.  Sci.  and 

Arts,  Ser.  2,  xii,  1851,  pp.  133,  134. 


280  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Occultations  of  Stars  Observed  in  1846,  1847,   1848, 

1849,  1850,  continued  from  vol.  iii  of  the  Memoirs 
of  the  American  Academy. — Gould's  Astr.  Journ. 
i,  1851,  pp.  173-175. 

Discovery  of  Comet  by  G.  P.  BOND,  Aug.  29,  1850,  pp. 
213,  214;  Observations  on  PETERSEN'S  Comet,  1850, 
pp.  215,  218;  Observations  on  BRORSEN'S  Comet, 

1850,  pp.  221,  222.— Astr.  Nachr.  xxxi,  1851,  pp. 
213-222. 

Comet  of  Aug.  29,  1850,  (BOND'S)  Observations.—  Astr. 
Nachr.  xxxi,  1851,  pp.  337-338,  357-358;  dis- 
covered by  G.  P.  BOND. 

Observations  of  the  FAYE  Comet. — Astr.  Nachr.  xxxii, 

1851,  pp.  63-64. 

Observations  of  PETERSEN'S  Comet,  made  at  the  Cam- 
bridge Observatory. — Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  i,  1851, 
pp.  78,  79-96,  110,  111. 

Observations  of  the  Comet,  of  Aug.  29,  1850,  etc. — 
Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  i,  pp.  141-142. 

Positions  of  the  Comet  of  August  last,  etc. — Gould's 
Astr.  Journ.  i,  p.  155. 

Moon  Culminations,  observed  at  H.  C.  0.,  etc. — Gould's 
Astr.  Journ.  i,  p.  191. 

Occultations  of  Aldelaran,  Jupiter  and  Regulus,  in 
1848,  1849  and  1850.— Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  i,  1851. 
p.  112. 

Moon  Culminations,  observed  at  Cambridge,  pp. 
141-143;  Double  Stars,  observed  at  Cambridge, 
1848-49,  pp.  144,  145.— Am.  Acad.  Proc.  ii,  1852, 
pp.  141-145;  communicated  Feb.  6.  1849. 

Observations  on  the  Satellite  of  Neptune,  1847-48,  pp. 
136,137;  Observations  on  ENCKE'S  Comet,  1848, 
pp.  138,  139;  Observations  on  the  Eighth  Satel- 
lite of  Saturn  (Hyperion),  1848-49,  pp.  139,  140; 
Observations  on  PETERSEN'S"  Second  Comet,  1848, 
p.  140.— Am.  Acad.  Proc.  ii,  1852,  pp.  136-140; 
communicated  Feb.  6,  1849. — Astr.  Nachr.  xxxi, 
1851,  pp.  35-42. 

Moon  Culminations,  observed  at  Harvard  Observatory, 
July,  Aug.,  1849. —  Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  i,  1851,  p. 
191;  ii,  1852,  p.  63. 


Writings  of  W.  (7.  Bond  281 

Observations  on  MAUVAIS'S  Comet  of  July  4,  1847. — 
Am.  Acad.  Proc.  ii,  pp.  1,  2,  1852;  continued  from 
i,  p.  169;  communicated  May  30,  1848. 

Divisions  of  the  Ring  of  Saturn — extract  of  a  note. — 
R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  xii,  1852,  p.  155. 

ENCKE'S  Comet. — R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  xii,  1852,  pp. 
134,  135. 

Observations  of  ENCKE'S  Comet,  Jan.,  1852. —  Gould's 
Astr.  Journ.  ii,  1852,  pp.  91-104. 

Missing  Star,  Sept.  24,  1851. —  Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  iir 
1852,  p.  104. 

Observations  on  the  First  Cornet  of  1852. — Gould's 
Astr.  Journ.  ii,  1852,  p.  174. 

Observations  upon  ENCKE'S  Comet,  made  at  the  Ob- 
servatory of  Harvard  College,  Cambridge,  U.  S., 
with  the  great  refractor. — Astr.  Nachr.  xxxiv, 

1852,  pp.  51-52,  225-228. 

Observations  on  the  Comet  I  of  1852,  made  at  the 
Observatory  of  Harvard  College,  Cambridge,  U.  S. 
(May  and  June,  1852). — Astr.  Nachr.  xxxv,  I853r 
pp.  49,  50. 

Report  on  Moon  Culminations. — Coast  Survey  Report, 

1853,  appendix  xxxii,  p.  84.* 

Records  of  Spring  Governor. — Ibid.  pp.  85-86. 

Observations  on  a  New  Ring  of  the  Planet  Saturn. — Am. 
Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser.  vi,  pp.  111-112;  plate;  com- 
municated April  15, 1851  (with  a  paper  on  the  rings, 
by  G.  P.  B.);  also,  in  Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  ii,  p.  5. 

Second  Comet  of  1854. — Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  iii,  1854, 
p.  189. 

Extract  from  a  Letter  Giving  Observations,  etc.,  of 
VAN  ARSDALE'S  Comet. — R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not. 
xiv,  1854,  p.  167;  Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  iii,  1854, 
pp.  159-160. 

Moon  Culminations. — Coast  Survey  Report,  1854,  ap- 
pendix xxxvii,  p.  120.* 

Chronometric  Longitude  Expedition. — Coast  Survey 
Report,  1855,  appendix  xliii,  pp.  275-276. 

Moon  Culminations  and  Chronometric  Longitude 
Expedition. — Coast  Survey  Report,  1856,  appen- 
dix xxii,  p.  181. 


282  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

History  and  Description  of  the  Astronomical  Observa- 
tory of  Harvard  College  [with  reports  from  1846 
to  1855]. — Annals  Harvard  College  Observatory, 
i,  1856,  p.  1;  illus. 

Zone  Catalogue  of  5500  Stars  [0°  to +  3°  20'].— Ibid,  i, 
1855,  p.  2. 

Observations  on  the  Planet  Saturn. — Ibid,  ii,  1857,  p. 
1 ;  plates. 

Observations  of  Isis  42,  Aug.-Dec.,  1856. — Gould's  Astr. 
Journ.  v,  p.  40. 

Observations  of  Polyhymnia,  by  G.  P.  BOND. — Gould's 
Astr.  Journ.  v,  p.  48. 

Observations  of  Isis  and  Polyhymnia,  made  at  Harvard 
College  Observatory. — Astr.  Nachr.  xlvi,  1857,  pp. 
11,  12. 

[Letter  Describing  Their  Achievements  in  Stellar  Pho- 
tography.]— R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  xvii,  1857,  pp. 
230-232. 

Moon  Culminations,  etc. — Coast  Survey  Report.  1857, 
appendix  xxviii,  p.  310-311. 

Solar  Parallax  Deduced  from  Right  Ascension  Obser- 
vations on  Mars  East  and  West  of  the  Merid- 
ian, near  the  Opposition  of  1849-50. — Gould's 
Astr.  Journ.  v,  1858,  p.  53;  letter  dated  April  28, 
1857. 

First  Comet  of  1858. — Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  v,  1858, 
p.  101. 

Places  of  the  Third  Comet  of  1858.—  Gould's  Astr. 
Journ.  v,  1858,  p.  134. 

Fifth  Comet  of  1858  (DONATI'S). — Am.  Journ.  Sci.  and 
Arts,  Ser.  2,  xxvi,  1858,  pp.  433-434. 

Observations  for  Coast  Survey  Longitude. — Coast  Sur- 
vey Report,  1858,  p.  33;  appendix  xxii,  p.  189. 

Entdeckung  Eines  Cometen  [Sept.  5,  1855,  by  H.  P. 
TUTTLE].— Astr.  Nachr.  xlix,  1859,  pp.  141,  142. 

Occultations  of  the  Pleiades,  etc. — Astr.  Nachr.  Hi,  1860, 
pp.  75-78. 

Observations  of  Solar  Spots,  1847-1849,  portrait  and 
plates. — Annals  Harvard  College  Observatory,  vii, 
1871.  Published  bv  Professor  Jos.  WINLOCK. 


Writings  of  W.  C.  Bond  283 

BOND,  W.  C.  AND  G.  P.,  GRAHAM,  J.  D.,  [COMMUNICATED 
BY]  BENJ.  PEIRCE. 

The  Latitude  of  the  Cambridge  Observatory,  in  Massa- 
chusetts, determined  from  transits  of  stars  over 
the  prime  vertical,  observed  during  the  months 
of  December,  1844,  and  January,  1845. — Am.Acad. 
Mem.,  New  Ser.  ii,  1846,  pp.  183-203;  given,  also, 
in  Astr.  Nachr.  xxv,  1847,  pp.  97,  98. 

LOVERING,  JOSEPH,  AND  BOND,  W.  C. 

An  Account  of  the  Magnetic  Observations  Made  at 
the  Observatory  of  Harvard  University,  Cam- 
bridge.— Am.  Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser.  ii,  1846,  pp. 
1-84;  plates;  also,  Sturgeon  Ann.  Electr.  viii,  1842, 
pp.  27-49,  89-112,  186-202. 

BOND,    W.    C.   AND   G.    P.,    AND   OTHERS. 

[Observations  on  the  Eclipse  of  the  Sun,  Apr.  25, 
1846.]— Astr.  Nachr.  xxiv,  1846,  p.  196. 

BOND,  W.  C.  [AND  G.  P.] 

Observations  on  the  Comet  of  Mar.  4,  1847. — Astr. 
Nachr.  xxv,  1847,  pp.  355,  356. 

BOND,  W.  C.,  W.  C.,  JR.,  AND  G.  P. 

Occultations  and  Eclipses  Observed  at  Dorchester  and 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  —  Am.  Acad.  Mem., 
New  Ser.,  iii,  1848,  pp.  67-74;  communicated  to 
the  Acad.',  Aug.  12,  1846. 

BOND,  W.  C.  AND  G.  P. 

Observations  on  the  Belts  and  Satellites  of  Jupiter,  and 
on  certain  nebulae,  Feb.,  1848. — Astr.  Nachr.  xxx, 
1850,  pp.  93-96. 

[The  Reports  of  the  U.  S.  Coast  Survey  for  many  years 
contain  notes  and  reports  from  W.  C.  BOND,  which 
have  not  been  separately  indexed  here. — E.  S.  H.] 


284  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

LIST    OP    THE    SCIENTIFIC    WRITINGS    OF    GEORGE 
PHILLIPS  BOND 

(COMPILED  BY  MRS.  RICHARD  F.  BOND) 

Discovery  of  a  Comet,  March  4,  1847,  and  observa- 
tions.— Am.  Journ.  Sci.  and  Arts,  iii,  1847,  p.  443. 

An  Account  of  the  Nebula  in  Andromeda. — Am.  Acad. 
Mem.,  New  Ser.,  iii,  1848,  pp.  75-86;  plate;  read 
before  the  Academy,  March  7,  1848. 

Some  Methods  of  Computing  the  Ratio  of  the  Dis- 
tances of  a  Comet  from  the  Earth.— Am.  Acad. 
Mem.,  New  Ser.,  iii,  1848,  pp.  97-128;  communi- 
cated to  the  Academy,  April  4,  1848. 

On  Some  Applications  of  the  Method  of  Mechanical 
Quadratures. — Am.  Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser.,  iv, 
1849,  pp.  189-208;  communicated  to  the  Academy 
May  29,  1849;  reviewed  by  ENQKE  in  Astr.  Nachr. 
xxxiv,  1852,  pp.  349-360." 

Substance  of  a  Lecture  Describing  the  Apparatus  for 
Observing  Transits  by  Means  of  a  Galvanic  Cur- 
rent, now  used  at  the  Observatory  of  Cambridge, 
U.  S.— R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  xi,  1851,  pp.  163-165. 

On  the  Phenomena  Attending  the  Disappearance  of 
the  Rings  of  Saturn. — Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  i,  1851, 
pp.  19-21. 

On  the  Great  Comet  of  1844-45. —  Gould's  Astr.  Journ. 
i,  1851,  pp.  97-103. 

Discovery  and  Observations  of  BOND'S  Comet,  Aug.  29, 
1850. — R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  xi,  1851,  pp. 
12-14,  63-110.  [The  first  to  bear  his  name,  though 
the  seventh  or  eighth  of  actual  discovery.] 

A  Method  of  Finding  the  Distance  of  a  Comet  from 
the  Earth. — Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  i,  1851,  pp.  115- 
116. 

Letter  Announcing  His  Discovery  of  a  Telescopic 
Comet,  Aug.  29,  1850,  with  position  and  ele- 
ments.— Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  i,  1851,  pp.  118- 
141,  142,  155. 

On  the  Rings  of  Saturn. — Am.  Journ.  Sci.  and  Arts, 
Ser.  2,  xii,  pp.  97-105. 


Writings  of  G.  P.  Bond  285 

Comet  of  CHACORNAC  (I,  1852);  Discovered  Independ- 
ently by  G.  P.  B.  May  19,  1852.— #.  A.  S.  Monthly 
Not.  xii,  1852,  p.  203. 

Entdeckung  und  Beobachtungen  des  Cometen  I,  1852 
auf  der  Cambridger,  U.  S.,  Sternwarte. — Astr. 
Nachr.  xxxiv,  1852,  pp  333,  334. 

Solar  Eclipse  of  July  28,  1851. — Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  ii, 
1852,  pp.  49-51;  observed  in  Sweden  by  G.  P.  B., 
and  in  Cambridge  by  W.  C.  B. 

Appearance  of  the  Ring  of  Saturn,  1851. — Gould's  Astr. 
Journ.  ii,  1852,  p.  112. 

First  Comet  of  1852.— Gould's  Astr.  JournAi,  1852,  p.  131. 

Observations  on  the  Satellites  of  Saturn. — Gould's  Astr. 
Journ.  ii,  1852,  pp.  132-135. 

Zone  Catalogue  of  5500  Stars,  between  the  equator 
and  0°  20'  north  declination,  observed  1852-53. — 
Annals  Harvard  College  Observatory  (1),  ii,  1855. 

Zone  Catalogue  of  4484  Stars,  between  0°  20'  and 
0°  40'  north  declination,  observed  1854-55. — An- 
nals Harvard  College  Observatory  (2),  ii,  1867. 

Zone  Catalogue  of  6100  Stars,  between  0°  40'  and 
1°  0'  north  declination,  observed  1859-60. — An- 
nals Harvard  College  Observatory  (6),  1872. 

On  the  Rings  of  Saturn. — Am.  Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser. 
5,  i,  1853,  pp.  113—121;  plate;  communicated  Apr. 
15,  1851,  with  a  paper  by  W.  C.  B.,  announcing 
the  discovery  of  the  new  (dusky)  ring;  also,  in 
Gould's  Astr.  Journ.  ii,  1851,  pp.  5-10. 

Report  on  Chronometer  Expeditions  for  Determining 
Difference  of  Longitude  between  Cambridge  and 
Liverpool. — Coast  Survey  Report,  1853,  appendix 
xxxiv,  pp.  88,*  89.* 

Report  of  Chronometric  Expeditions  of  1849-50-51. 
— Coast  Survey  Report  1854,  appendix  xlii,  pp. 
138*-142.* 

Chronometric  Expedition. — Coast  Survey  Report,  ap- 
pendix xxiii,  pp.  182-191. 

Observations  on  the  Planet  Saturn,  1847-57;  illus. — 
Annals  Harvard  College  Observatory,  2,  i,  1857. 
(With  W.  C.  Bond.) 


286  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

On  the  Use  of  Equivalent  Factors  in  the  Method  of 
Least  Squares. — Am.  Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser.,  VI,  i, 
1857,  pp.  179-212;  communicated  Apr.  15,  1856. 

Diagrams  of  the  Planet  Saturn,  with  explanations  and 
results  of  observations,  1852,  1854,  1855. — Am. 
Acad.  Proc.  iii,  1857,  pp.  186,  187;  presented  Feb. 
13,  1855. 

Discussion  of  Observations  for  the  Isodynamic,  Iso- 
gonic  and  Isoclinal  Curves  of  Terrestrial  Magnet- 
ism on  and  near  the  Line  of  the  Boundary  Sur- 
vey betweeen  the  U.  S.  and  Mexico,  1849,  1850, 
1851  and  1852.— Am.  Acad.  Proc.  iii,  1857,  p.  186; 
presented  Feb.  13,  1855.  A  continuation  of  obser- 
vations given  in  Am.  Acad.  Mem.  V,  i,  1849,  by 
Major  W.  H.  EMORY. 

Disturbance  of  the  Horizontality  of  the  Axis  of  the 
Great  Equatorial  at  Cambridge,  p.  194;  Effect  of 
the  Moon's  Attraction  on  the  Motion  of  a  Pendu- 
lum, p.  194. — Am.  Acad.  Proc.  iii,  1857,  p.  194; 
presented  May  8,  1855. 

[Results  of  an  Examination  of  the  Photographs  of  the 
Star  Mizar  (t,  Ursae  Majoris)  with  its  Companion, 
and  the  Neighboring  Star  Alcor.] — Am.  Acad.  Proc. 
iii,  1857,  pp.  386-389;  communicated  May  12, 1857. 

Stellar  Photography  [dated  July  23,  1857].— Jsfr. 
Nachr.  xlvii,  1858,  pp.  1-6. 

Stellar  Photography  (Jan.  11,  l8oS).—Aatr.  Nachr. 
xlviii,  1858,  pp.  1-14. 

Stellar  Photography  (July  1,  1858). — Astr.  Nachr.  xlix, 
1859,  pp.  81-100. 

Observations  of  a  Comet,  discovered  at  Cambridge  by 
TUTTLE  May  2,  1858.— Astr.  Nachr.  xlviii,  1858, 
pp.  287,  288,  331,  332. 

On  the  Relative  Precision  of  Measures  of  Double  Stars, 
taken  photographically  and  by  direct  vision,  Dec. 
20,  1857.— R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  xviii,  1858,  pp. 
71,  72. 

Letter  to  Professor  PAPE,  giving  latest  observations  of 
Comet  IV,  1857.— Astr.  Nachr.  xlviii,  1858,  pp. 
75,  76. 


Writings  of  G.  P.  Bond  287 

Observations  of   Comet  I,  1858. — Astr.  Nachr    xlvii 

1858,  pp.  835,  336. 
Observations  of  Polyhymnia. — Gould's  Astr.  Journ  v 

1858,  p.  48. 
Observations  of   Comets  and   Planets,  1858. — Bruen- 

now  Astr.  Not.,  Nos.  9,  10,  1859,  pp.  69-75. 
Note  on  Equation  of  Payments,  pp.  5,  6;  An  Account 

of  the  Comet  of  DONATI,  pp.  61-67. — Math.  Monthly, 

vol.  i. 
An   Account  of  the  Comet  of   DONATI,   1858. — Math. 

Monthly,  i,  1859,   pp.    61-67,  88-113;  plates  and 

diagrams;  also,  Edin.  New  Phil.  Journ.  x,  1859, 

pp.  60-84. 
Observations   of  Comets  and    Planets,    made   at    the 

Observatory  of  Harvard  College,  Cambridge,  U.  S.r 

1858-59.— Astr.  Nachr.  li,  1859,  pp.  273-280. 
Arcs  of  Great  and  Small  Circles,  pp.  342-345. — Math. 

Monthly,  vol.  i,  1859. 
Observations  of  the  First  Comet  of  1859. — Bruennow 

Astr.  Not.  No.  12,  1859,  pp.  89,  90. 
Observations  of  a  Comet  (TEMPEL'S),  discovered  inde- 
pendently by  WATSON,  FERGUSON  and  TUTTLE  in 

the    U.    S.   in  April,  1859.— Astr.  Nachr.  1,  1859, 

pp.  329,  330. 
Observation    of    Aglaia,   December    28,    1858. — Astr. 

Nachr.  1,  1859,  pp.  237,  238. 
Occultations  of  Pleiades,  observed  at  the  Observatory 

of  Harvard  College,  Cambridge,  U.  S.  A.,  1857-58. 

— Astr.  Nachr.  Hi,  1860,  pp.  75-78. 
Occultations  of    Venus  and  Jupiter. — Bruennow  Astr. 

Not.  No.  19,  1860,  p.  148. 
Results  of  a  Series  of  Photographic  Experiments  upon 

the  Light  of  the  Sun  and  Moon,  compared  with 

that  of  the  Planet  Jupiter. — Am.  Acad.  Proc.  iv, 

1860,  p.  373;  communicated  Feb.  14,  1860. 
Observations  of  a  Comet,  discovered  by  TUTTLE   at 

Harvard    College    Observatory,    June    21,    1860 

(Comet  III,  I860).— Astr.  Nachr.  liii,   1860,  pp. 

325,  326;    Astr.   Nachr.  liy,   1861,   pp.   251-254; 

Bruennow  Astr.  Not.  No.  20, 1860,  pp.  160,  169-171. 


288  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Occultations  of  the  Pleiades,  1857-58. — Bruennow  Astr. 
Not.  No.  13,  1859,  pp.  99, 100;  No.  19, 1860,  p.  147. 

Moon  Culminations.  —Bruennow  Astr.  Not.  No.  14, 
1860,  pp.  105-108;  No.  24,  1861,  pp.  190-192. 

Observations  of  Comet  I,  1861. — Astr.  Nachr.  lv,  1861, 
pp.  189,  190,  299,  300. 

Observations  of  Comet  III,  1860. — Bruennow  Astr.  Not. 
No.  22,  1861,  pp.  169-171. 

Discovery  of  Asteroid  66  (Maia)  by  TUTTLE,  at  the 
Observatory  of  Harvard  College.  April  10,  1861, 
and  observations. — Astr.  Nachr.  lv,  1861,  pp. 
187,  188,  300;  Bruennow  Astr.  Not.  No.  24.  1861, 
p.  186. 

On  the  Light  of  the  Moon  and  of  the  Planet  Jupiter. — 
Am.  Acad.  Mem.  New  Ser.  VIII,  i,  1861,  pp.  221- 
286;  communicated  Sept.  11,  1860;  Am.  Acad. 
Proc.  v,  1862,  pp.  66-68. 

Comparison  of  the  Light  of  the  Sun  and  Moon. — Am. 
Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser.  VIII,  i,  1861,  pp.  287-298; 
communicated  Sept.  11,  1860. 

Memoir  on  the  Relative  Brightness  of  Sunlight  and 
Moonlight. — Am.  Acad.  Proc.  v,  1862,  p.  68;  read 
Sept.  11,  1860. 

A  Catalogue  of  Stars,  near  the  zenith  of  the  Observa- 
tory of  Harvard  College,  for  the  determination  of 
latitude  by  the  zenith  telescope. — Am.  Acad.  Proc. 
v,  1862,  p.  68;  presented  Sept.  11,  1860. 

On  the  Light  of  the  Sun,  Moon,  Jupiter  and  Venus,  pp. 
197-203;  On  the  Spiral  Structure  of  the  Great 
Nebula  of  Orion,  pp.  203-207.— R.  A.  S.  Monthly 
Not.  xxi,  1861,  pp.  197-207. 

First  Comet  of  1859  (Letter  of  Apr.  28, 1859).— Gould's 
Astr.  Journ.  vi,  1861,  p.  24. 

The  Comet  (II,  1861)  as  seen  at  the  Observatory  of 
Harvard  College,  Cambridge,  Mass. — Am.  Journ. 
Sci.  and  Arts.  Ser.  2,  xxxii,  1861,  pp.  255-266. 

Account  of  the  Great  Comet  of  1858. — Annals  Har- 
vard College  Observatory,  iii,  1862;  illus. 

[On  the  Great  Nebula  Surrounding  the  Star  0  Orionis] 
with  a  drawing. — Am.  Acad.  Proc.v,  1862,  pp.  227- 
230;  communicated  March  12,  1861. 


Writings  of  G.  P.  Bond  289 

Observations  of    ENCKE'S    Comet.   Oct.    1861. — Astr. 

Nachr.  Ivi,    1862,   pp.  269,  270;   also,  Bruennow 

Astr.  Not.  No.  29,  1862,  p.  37. 
On  the    Figure  of  the  Head  of  the  Comet  of  DONATI 

(dated  Nov.,  1861.)— Astr.  Nachr.  Ivi,  1862,  pp.  299- 

302;  plate. 

— Same   continued    (dated  July  8,   1862.) — Astr. 

Nachr.  Iviii,  1862,  pp.  81-86. 
Discovery  of  a  New  Asteroid  (72);  Elements  of  Comet 

III,   1861;    On  the  Companion   of   Sirius. — Astr. 

Nachr.  Ivii,  1862,  pp.  129-134. 
Observations  of  Comets  and  Small   Planets,   1861. — 

Astr.  Nachr.  Ivii,  1862,  pp.  353-368. 
Discovery  (by  TUTTLE)  and  Observations  of  Asteroid 

(73),  Apr.  and  May,  1862.—  Astr.  Nachr.  Ivii,  1862, 

pp.  309,  310. 
Name  of  Clytie  given  (73)  by  J.  I.  BOWDITCH  and  Fero- 

nia  to  (72).— Astr.  Nachr.  Iviii,  1862,  pp.  85-87. 
Rediscovered  (by  SAFFORD)  Oct.  7,  1864. — Astr. 

Nachr.  Ixiii,  1865,  pp.  303,  304. 
On  the  Companion  of  Sirius,   pp.   286,   287;  On   the 

Discovery  of  the  Asteroid  (72),  pp.  287,  288;  The 

Recently  Discovered  Asteroids,  pp.  288,  289;  Dis- 
covery of  a  Telescopic  Comet,  pp.  289,  290;  ENCKE'S 

Comet,   p.  290. — Am.   Journ.  Sci.  and   Arts,  Ser. 

2,  xxxiii,  1862,  pp.  286-290. 

Comet  1861 ,  III.— Bruennow  Astr.  Not.  No.  29, 1862,  p.  40. 
Observations  on  the  Companion  of  Sirius;  'Discovery 

(by  G.  P.  B.)  and  Observations  of  Comet  I,  1862. 

— Astr.  Nachr.  Iviii,  1862,  pp.  88,  90. 
Discovery  and  Observations  of  Comet  II,  1862. — Astr. 

Nachr.  Iviii,  1862,  pp.  115,  116. 
[Diagram  of  the  Outline  of  the  Head  of  the  Great 

Comet  of  1858  (DoN ATI'S),  compared  with  a  para- 
bola.]— Am.   Acad.   Proc.   v,  1862,   pp.  311-313; 

plates;  communicated  Oct.  8,  1861. 
Observations  of   Comets  and    Small   Planets    (1861- 

1862).— Astr.  Nachr.  Ix,  1863,  pp.  33-42. 
On  the  Rate  of  Ascent  of  the  Envelopes  of  the  Great 

Comet  of  1858.— Astr.  Nachr.  Ix,  1863,  pp.  49-60; 

answer  to  J.  F.  J.  SCHMIDT,  Athens. 


290  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Observations  of  Comet  III,  1862,  and  of  Feronia  (July- 
Get.,  1862).— Astr.  Nachr.  lix,  1863,  pp.  77,  78. 

List  of  New  Nebulae,  seen  at  the  Observatory  of  Har- 
vard College  (date,  Oct.,  1863).  —  Astr.  Nachr.  Ixi. 
1864,  pp.  193-198,  255,  256. 

Remarks  upon  the  Statements  of  Messrs.  STONE  and 
CARPENTER,  relating  to  Sir  JOHN  HERSCHEL'S 
figure  of  the  sinus  magnus  in  the  nebula  of 
Orion. — R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not.  xxiv,  1864,  pp. 
177-181. 

A  List  of  New  Nebulae,  seen  at  the  Observatory  of 
Harvard  College,  1847-63. — Am.  Acad.  Proc.  vi, 
1866,  pp.  177-182;  communicated  Nov.  11,  1863. 

On  the  New  Form  of  the  Achromatic  Object  Glass 
Recently  Introduced  by  STEINHEIL. — Am.  Acad. 
Proc.  vi,  1866,  pp.  169-175;  plate;  communicated 
Oct.  13,  1863. 

Observations  upon  the  Great  Nebula  of  Orion. — An- 
nals Harvard  College  Observatory,  v,  1867;  plates; 
edited  by  T.  H.  SAFFORD. 

Contributed  constantly  to  the  American  Almanac,  and 
for  some  years  made  the  computations  for  it. 

EVERETT,   EDWARD. 

Report  on  the  Discovery  and  Name  of  an  Eighth 
Satellite  of  Saturn. — Am.  Acad.  Mem.,  New  Ser. 
iii,  1848,  appendix,  pp.  275-290;  read  Nov.  8, 
1848*  see,  also,  Am.  Acad. Proc.  ii,  1852,  p.  4. 

GOULD,   B.  A. 

Announcement  of  the  Discovery,  April  11,  1849,  by 
G.  P.  BOND,  of  a  comet,  with  the  observations. — 
Astr.  Nachr.  xxviii,  1849,  pp.  363-366. 

Announcement  of  the  Rediscovery,  by  G.  P.  BOND,  of 
SCHWEIZER'S  Comet,  Aug.  24,  1849. — Astr.  Nachr. 
xxx,  1850,  pp.  13-16. 

Observations  on  PETERSEN'S  Comet,  made  at  American 
observatories,  with  positions  given  by  G.  P.  BOND, 
July  23,  1850. — Astr.  Nachr.  xxxi,  1851,  pp. 
125-128,  159,  160. 


Writings  of  G.  P.  Bond  291 

DE  LA  RUE,  WARREN. 

Address  on  Presenting  the  Gold  Medal  of  the  Society 
to  Professor  G.  P.  BOND.— R.  A.  S.  Monthly  Not. 
xxv,  1865,  pp.  125-137. 

SAFFORD,   T.  H. 

Notice  of  the  Death  of  G.  P.  BOND,  Feb.  17,  1865.— 
Astr.  Nachr.  Ixiv,  1865,  pp.  123,  124. 


INDEX   OF   PROPER  NAMES 

Adams,  J.  C., 89,  109,  114,  117 

Adams,  John, 217 

Adams,  John  Quincy, 34,  228 

Agassiz,  Louis, 70 

Airy,  G.  B., 26,  38,  89,  159,  184 

Argelander,  F Ill,  135 

Armsby,  J.  H., 161 

Bache,  A.  D., 222 

Baker,  Daniel  W 18 

Bancroft,  George 221 

Bartlett,  W.  H.  C 218 

Bessel,  F.  W 95,  101,  136 

Black,  Mr 189 

Black  &  Whipple, 262,  263 

Blunt,  E., 222 

Bond,  C.  H 59 

Bond,  E.  L., 48 

Bond,  George  Phillips, Throughout  the  book 

Bond,  John, 2 

Bond,  Joseph, 31,  32 

Bond,  Richard  F 31,  32,  64,  66 

Bond,  Mrs.  R.  F., 68,  276 

Bond,  Thomas 2 

Bond,  William, 1,4,5,9 

Bond,  William  Cranch Throughout  the  book 

Bond,  W.  C.  Jr., 19,  32,  66 

Bond,  William,  &  Son, 51 

Borrelly,  A., 260 

Boutelle,  C.  B., 222 

Bowditch,  J.  I., 52,  178 

Bowditch,  N 224 

Bruennow,  F 169,  174, 177 

Busch,  J.  G 262 

Campbell,  W.  W., 258 

Carrington,  R.  C., 151,  167,  185,  191 

Cassini,  J.  D 258,  259 

Caswell,  A.,    .    .    .     .' 188 


293 

Challis,  Professor, 112 

Chance  &  Co., 124 

Chauvenet,  W., 220  221 

Clark,  Alvan, 219 

Clark,  Alvan  G., 71 

Coffin,  J.  H.  C., .221 

Coolidge,  S., 200 

Coues,  S.  F., 65 

Courtenay,  Professor 220 

Cranch,  Hannah, 2,  4,  10 

Cranch,  John, 3 

Cranch,  Mary  R., 6 

Cranch,  Richard, 3 

Cranch,  Selina 6 

Curtis,  Hugh, 1 

Cutts,  R.  D., 222 

Dana,  J.  D., 223 

D'Arrest,  H.  L., 106 

Davidson,  G 222 

Davis,  C.  H., 70,  226 

Dawes,  W.  R., 151,  171 

DeLaRue,  W 130,263,270 

De  Vigny,  Alfred, 39 

Donati,  G.  B 267 

Downes,  J., 227 

Draper,  H., 211,  212,  263,  275 

Draper,  J.  W., 261 

Emerson,  R.  W 225 

Encke,  J.  F., 80,  81, 101,  105,  106,  153 

Everett,  Edward 164 

Faye,  H., 90 

Felton,  C.  C 164,  165 

Ferguson,  J., 221,260 

Fizeau,  H.  L., 262 

Folsom,  Charles  W., 63 

Foucault,  J.  B.  L., 91,  262 

Franklin,  Benjamin, 217 

Galle,  J.  G., 195 

Gauss,  C.  F., 106,  108 

Gilliss,  J.  M., 41,  221,  228 

Godfrey,  Thomas, 219 

Goodfellow,  E., 222 

Gould,  B.  A 37,  38,  106,  109,  222,  246 

Graham,  J.  D 22,  34,  45,  218 


294  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Grant,  Robert, '25 

Gray,  Asa, 70,  94 

Hadley,  Captain, 219 

Hall,  A., 77,  200,  214 

Hansen,  P.  G., !)5,  101,  107 

Harris,  Harriet  Gardner, 48 

Hartnup,  J., 124 

Hassler,  F.  R., 222 

Henck,  John  B., 63 

Henry,  Joseph, 172,  227 

Herrick,  E.  C., 177,  223 

Herschel,  Sir  J 89 

Herschel,  Sir  W., 101,  103,  259 

Hilgard,  J.  E., 222 

Him,  G.  A 258 

Holden,  E.  S 70,  274 

Hubbard,  J.  S., 221 

Hugo,  Victor, 39 

Von  Humboldt,  Alexander, 105 

Jefferson,  Thomas, 217 

Keeler,  J.  E., 258 

Keith,  R., 221 

Kendall,  E.  0 227,  240 

Lamont,  Professor, 142 

Lane,  J.  H 160 

Lassell,  W 24,  121,  169,  190 

Leverrier,  U.  J 89,  91,  109,  148 

Lloyd,  Doctor, 89 

Locke,  John, 241 

Loomis,  E., 193 

Levering,  J., 232 

Luther,  K.  T.  R., 260 

Lyman,  C.  A 223 

Majocchi,  G.  A., ;..'..    262 

Mansfield,  General, 220 

Manners,  R.  H., 215 

Von  Martins,  Professor, 147 

Mason,  E.  P 223 

Maury,  M.  F., 221,  224 

Maxwell,  J.  C., 129,  203,  258 

Merz,  G.  and  S., 140 

Mitchell,  Maria, 227 

Mitchel,  O.  M 92,  220,  241 

Mitchell,  Wm., 37,  154,  162,  209,  245 


Index  of  Proper  Names  295 

de  Neuville,  Baron  H., 225 

Newall,  R.  S., '. 127 

Newcomb,  S., 227, 255 

Newton,  H.  A., 223 

Newton,  Sir  I., 219 

Norton,  W.  A., 151,  166,  171,  220,  223 

Olmsted,  D., 223 

Paine,  R.  T., 52 

Palisa,  J., 260 

Parsons,  T., 52 

Peirce,  B.,  .  25, 34,  36, 43,  70, 71, 73, 92, 109, 163, 220,  226,  255, 256,  257 
Peters,  C.  H.  F.,     .  150,  170,  173,  189,  192,  194,  196, 197,  210,  214,  260 

Peterson,  Doctor, 96 

Phillips,  E.  B., 29,  64 

Phillips,  Thomazine, 2 

Pickering,  E.  C., 30,  274 

Pierce,  Franklin, 67 

Pistor  &  Martins, 137 

Plantamour,  Professor, 110 

Pourtales,  Count, 222 

Quincy,  Josiah,  Sr., 80 

Quincy,  Josiah,  President, 17,  44,  52 

Repsolds,  The, 137 

Rogers,  W.  A «...     210 

Rosse,  Lord, 117 

Rowland,  H.  A 219 

Ruemker,  G., 94, 96 

Runkle,  J.  D., 227 

Rutherford,  L.  M 219,  263 

Sabine,  Sir  E 132,169,170 

Safford,  T.  H 273 

Saxton,J., 222,241 

Schoenfeld,  E 137,207 

Schott,  C.  A : 

Schwerd,  Professor, I38 

Searle,  G.  M 26° 

Sears,  David, 

Secchi,  A ^ 

Sestini,  Father, 230 

Silliman,  B 223 

Simms,  J.  and  W., * 

Sonntag,  A., 1^3 

Sophocles,  E.  A 57 

Speed,  J.  J 242 


296  Memorial  of  the  Bonds 

Steinheil  &  Sons, 145 

Struve,  Otto, 24,  73,  97,  131,  193,  197,  199,  273 

Struve,  W., 97,  103 

Sumner,  Captain, 224 

Talcott,  A., 219 

Taylor,  W.  B 160 

Tuttle,  C.  W 261 

Tuttle,  H.  P 200,  260,  2(51 

Villarceau,  Y 90 

Walker,  J., 162 

Walker,  S.  C., 23,  221,  239,  245,  246 

Washington,  George, 217 

Watson,  J.  C.,    . 260 

Whipple  &  Black 155,  262,  263 

Whitney,  E.  H., 191 

Wilkes,  Admiral, 40,  221,  239 

Winlock,  J., 25,  30,  221 

Winthrop,  Professor, 33 

Wright,  Chauncey, 227 

Wuerdemann,  W 219 

Yarnall,  M., 221 

de  Zach,  Baron, 224 

Zoellner,  J.  C.  F., 271 


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